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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSaving the T.B. Story Mansion, A Historic Plan for Purchase, Permanent Protection, Restoration and Public UseTHE FUTURE OF THE STORY MANSION�J Al r z: SAVING THE T.B. STORY MANSION A HISTORIC PLAN FOR PURCHASE, PERMANENT PROTECTION, RESTORATION, AND PUBLIC USE 292 Offered to the Bozeman City Commission From the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board March 31, 2003 293 "The Story mansion is of unparalleled historic and architectural importance in Bozeman. It is difficult to imagine a place that is more familiar to local residents- -and more appreciated- -than this exceptional, one -of -a -kind historic landmark. Arguably no property has inspired as much local pride or contributed as much to Bozeman's unique heritage, identity and cherished sense of place." — B. Derek Strahn, former Historic Preservation Officer Preface The landmark significance of the T.B. Story mansion and grounds to the Bozeman community needs no further elaboration. At the request of the Bozeman City Commission, the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board presents this prospectus narrative as a framework for better understanding what is proposed for the acquisition and restoration of this community- defining property. We have prepared this document in a question and answer format. 294 Essential Questions: What set the stage for this discussion? The Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board takes seriously its role as a City commission - empowered citizen body created to be an advocate for historic preservation. We have merely attempted to be a conduit for exploring ways to advance the discussion of historic preservation issues in Bozeman. With regard to the fate of the T.B. Story Mansion, our role has been to keep interested parties talking in constructive ways with the hope it will lead to a protection outcome. For five years, a board of directors overseeing management of the SAE fraternity house (originally known as the Story mansion) has attempted to sell the two buildings (mansion and adjacent carriage house) and the one - square -block grounds which surround it on the open real estate market. The reasons are less important, but for purposes of context, the SAE board found that the local chapter of SAE was unable to keep up with growing maintenance and utilities costs following years of deferred maintenance. The fraternity also decided that it did not need the large amount of space contained within both structures. After occupying the mansion - carriage house for eight decades, the property was listed and most recently the quoted asking price was $1.5 million. In 2001, the Missouri Headwaters Preservation Trust, a local grassroots organization committed to the protection of historic properties, feared that without intervention the historic integrity of the buildings and grounds would be permanently lost to development schemes unsympathetic to the property's character. Already, Bozeman has lost several of its keystone structures, including the original Story Mansion on Main Street, constructed by Texas pioneer Nelson Story, father of T.B. Story. The decision to demolish that landmark was immediately regretted, and the lament of loss continues to this day, inspiring local citizens never to allow a similar mistake to happen again. The Missouri Headwaters felt it needed to act swiftly, and indeed its fears were borne out as a number of proposals were presented to SAE by developers who wanted to take advantage of subdivision platting and erect homes on the land as part of real estate deals. Missouri Headwaters obtained an option to buy and after protracted negotiations and an unsuccessful fundraising campaign, SAE placed the mansion back on the open market, saying it would consider any and all offers for purchase. The Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board had closely watched the interaction between Missouri Headwaters and SAE unfold. While we applauded Missouri Headwaters efforts, as well as the tremendous effort which its members put into saving the mansion, and the way it elevated the profile of QOR the place and threat into the public eye, we also recognized that it faced formidable challenges. Bozeman has proved to be a generous philanthropic community, though at the present time there are many charities, non profit organizations, and noble community causes, such as the effort to build the new public library, competing for finite dollars. Missouri Headwaters faced the prospect of not only having to raise $1.5 million for acquisition, but also, according to estimates, between $3 million and $7 million on top of that to facilitate badly- needed restoration. As if the daunting challenge of fundraising those sums wasn't enough, the trust hoped to retire its debt by holding fundraisers and staging events inside the mansion that had fallen into a state of disrepair, replete with monthly maintenance - utility costs averaging between $3,000 and $5,000. It was an admirable fundraising goal but in the end the sheer magnitude of the challenge was too overwhelming. Just as the private sector alone was unable to provide a suitable buyer, neither could the private sector alone generate sufficient funds. After Missouri Headwaters' bid ended with SAE deciding to not renew its option to buy, the fraternity's sensitivity toward a preservation buyer also began to wane. Late in 2002, members of the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board made overtures to SAE about starting preservation - oriented talks anew. At the first meeting held by the advisory board, four SAE board members gathered together with representatives from the city. Initially, discussions focused on ways in which SAE could better advertise the property nationally within the circles of potential buyers who are interested in saving historic buildings. The National Trust for Historic Preservation stepped forward to voluntarily list the property in its widely distribution magazine, Preservation. Yet as informal talks continued, and as citizens in greater numbers began contacting leaders on the Bozeman City Commission and city offices about the importance of this property to the community's past —and future —the possibilities shifted in a new direction. Across the country, many local historic buildings have been rescued through the development of creative and visionary public - private partnerships. The National Trust, renowned for its ability to structure such arrangements, has been at the forefront of helping grassroots entities. Early in 2003, the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board held the first of a couple of meetings that resulted in the nascent creation of the Story Mansion Preservation Task Force. Its genesis originated with the idea of building a partnership between the City of Bozeman; the city's largest resident neighbor, Montana State University; the business community; and local citizens. Invited to the meeting were City Manager Clark Johnson and two members of the commission; University President Geoff Gamble and a few members of his staff; the SAE board, a representative from U.S. Senator Conrad Burns' office; John O'Donnell from Techranch; Alicia Bradshaw from Gallatin Development Corp; Chris Pope, local business entrepreneur and realtor; Marilyn Tracz of the Bozeman Downtown Business Association; Ray Rasker, a well known New West -New Economy economist and SAE neighbor; Chere Jiusto from the Montana Preservation Alliance; members of the preservation advisory board and 296 a few others. The meeting was facilitated by Louise Forrest from the Community Mediation Center. After discussing a wide array of options and reaching unanimous agreement that saving the Story Mansion was important both to the vitality of local life and as a valuable tool for the business community, a number of different strategies, both public and private, were considered. Ranking at the top was public purchase, lead by the City of Bozeman as a vital first step leading to permanent protection, restoration, and ongoing public use. How did the City become a player? City Manager Clark Johnson was contacted by the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board and asked to explore the feasibility of such a move. Mr. Johnson concluded that indeed money to facilitate purchase was available but he indicated that the city would not entertain being a player unless there was involvement from the other pillars of the task force, namely the university, business community, and citizens. The City also made it clear that it would not interfere with the private real estate market. As a result, the historic preservation board drafted a letter to the SAE board, requesting that it temporarily withdraw the property from the market and submit a proposal to the city. The proposal was delivered to the commission on March 17, 2003. The offer was not a complete surprise, for the task force had already agreed on a basic framework for how to proceed in managing the property when, and if, city acquisition were to occur. Key components included creating a non - profit 501 c 3 entity to receive citizen contributions; obtaining a local grant from the Gallatin Historic Preservation Board to hire a business expert to draft a comprehensive business plan, using information gleaned from similar private - public partnerships involving historic properties; and taking advantage of offers from Alicia Bradshaw and Gallatin Development Corp. and John O'Donnell, head of Techranch to shepherd the new entity through the process of getting up and running, by enlisting the help of experts who have a track record of starting new non - profit entities. Why is City purchase of the Story the best option? As mentioned earlier, SAE attempted unsuccessfully to sell the mansion through the free market for two years, and none of the offers resulted in preservation proposals which were acceptable to SAE, the preservation board and /or the City. SAE has been admirably patient, but it desires to swiftly dispense with the property now because of mounting maintenance bills, with no one living in the mansion, and it intends to use the proceeds of a sale to build a new fraternity house for its brothers. City purchase would be the swiftest away to bring about an outcome that benefits the community, safeguards the historic 297 integrity of the property, and creates the possibility for a wide array of options that pose no or little long -term economic burden for the City (i.e. taxpayers). What is proposed? The city would purchase the mansion, carriage house and one- square- block grounds. Working with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, the City would move to consolidate all of the existing lots (about 12 full lots) into a single aggregate, thereby putting restrictions on the deed preventing more development from occurring. In essence, the deed restrictions function as a conservation easement. The City Commission then would give the community between 12 and 18 months (we recommend 18 months) to repay one third of the purchase price. Put another way, for every dollar raised by the community, the city would contribute two dollars. The intent of this challenge is to bring wider community buy in to give citizens a deeper sense of stakeholdership. We see this as an opportunity to make good on the stated desire of citizens to see the buildings and grounds permanently protected and made available for use as a community asset. Should the community fail to raise the funds as part of this challenge, the City then would have the option to list and resell the property to a private buyer. Even under this scenario. the public which has an abiding desire to preserve the historic integrity of the site wins. The deed restrictions ensure that the Story property will never be carved up into individual lots and no matter who owns the property in the future, history is preserved. Will this dampen the ability of the City to resell the property, if necessary? Not if history is any precedent. While the full build out development potential will no longer exist, many buyers find properties with conservation easements to be extremely attractive. City acquisition and application of deed restrictions would also correct the possibility for conflict created by City forefathers decades ago when they platted the block. What role will the University play? From the very beginning, the Story Mansion Preservation Task Force has emphasized an MSU role. University President Geoff Gamble attended the first Task Force meeting, is himself a Task Force member, and pledged MSU involvement. Due to the reality of the state fiscal crisis in Helena, MSU cannot contribute funds for acquisition or purchase. HOWEVER, it can serve a vital KM function by steering uses to the buildings and thus channeling cash flow that can be applied toward the ongoing costs of management and maintenance. Regular use by a major client is crucial to this plan succeeding. At the present time, it is extremely difficult for President Gamble to make hard number projections but his budget experts expect a monthly cash flow in excess of $6,000. Not only does this surpass the existing maintenance costs, but after restoration, maintenance costs are expected to decline because of improved insulation and more efficient utilities systems. In addition, following restoration the desirability of the structures for a whole host of events will increase. We also anticipate making the carriage house available to an "anchor" renter who has yet to be determined. Several entities already have expressed an interest in being an occupant. How will the property be managed after the acquisition takes place? Some worry that this proposal guides the City into the hospitality or real estate business. The historic preservation board and Task Force understands how this perception can be made but we assert that it is a fictitious assumption. Much time and thought has been put into ensuring that this scenario does not occur. Once the City acquires the property from SAE, a number of next steps come into play that have been outlined by the Task Force. First, oversight of the mansion, carriage house, and grounds will be turned over to a citizen management board acting under the 501 (c)3 charter. The board would consist of representatives (we recommend 15) from a broad suite of interests but clustered in three primary categories: citizen, government (city and university), and business. Certainly, a representative from the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce would have a seat and we would welcome insights the chamber has in helping the Story site enhance the local business climate. The founding charter of the 501 c3 would be to coordinate complementary public use that benefits all three types of constituencies. Moreover, the board would be called upon to select an individual or group to manage the facilities and hold them to measurable standards in order to meet operating costs. The existing Task Force would simply morph into the management oversight board and oversee both restoration and property management. What about Restoration? The irony is that more grant opportunities exist to carry out restoration than acquisition but we cannot get to one without the other. This is why City involvement at the first stage is so crucial, for it opens the door for the next and arguably more ambitious phase of fundraising to proceed. Deferred maintenance on the mansion and carriage house have created huge restoration needs in order to make the structures fully functional. 299 Myriad funding options exist for restoration. Among the promising federal pools of money: the Saving America's Treasures program; Land and Water Conservation Fund; grants available through U.S.D.A.; community development grants tiered to business promotion and grants available for public education purposes. Most promising, however, is a direct appropriation from Congress. Over the years, Montana has been underrepresented in receiving federal funds for historic preservation. Both U.S. Senators Conrad Burns and Max Baucus are aware of the Task Force efforts and both have expressed an interest in helping us reach a solution. They recognize the tremendous value the mansion possesses as an unforgettable icon; and they keenly see its potential as an important venue for promoting the establishment of New Economy businesses that can create jobs in Montana, and in convincing companies to consider relocation. As enthusiastic proponents of public - private partnerships, they also believe that preservation ought to begin at the local level with local buy in, facilitated by the city, before they seek restoration moneys through the federal appropriations process. We think this makes sense. For the record, the Task Force already has submitted an appropriations request to senators Burns and Baucus, and Congressman Denny Rehberg for $3.5 million. (See attachment). That money, or a reduced amount, would not be available until 2004; hence, our reason for requesting that we be given 18 months to secure the community's portion of the acquisition amount paid by the City. In the meantime, the Task Force would actively seek smaller grants from other federal sources and from private foundations that value historic preservation at the community level. As just one example, Task Force member Ray Rasker recently had a discussion with representatives from the Vancouver, Washington -based N.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and they indicated a strong interest in funding a portion of Story Mansion restoration. The Murdock Trust recently got involved with restoring the Moss Mansion in Billings; the president of the Trust has a ranch in the Gallatin Valley and loves the Story Mansion: It's one of the reasons he finds the Bozeman area attractive. What kind of Functions do we envision? In a word, many. The intent here is not to duplicate what other public sites, such as the Emerson Cultural Center, already offers. Is there the likelihood of some overlap? Yes, of course. It is inevitable and cannot be avoided. However, the emphasis will be toward nurturing uses from the university, such as academic and business seminars, technology conferences, guest lectures —all of which will be made MORE accessible to the community, and in a very tangible way resolidify the connection between "Town and Gown." It will allow citizens to better be exposed to the intellectual resources at the university. The Story mansion site is the ideal location for the university environment and the ambiance of the surrounding town to converge in a way that has never happened in Bozeman before. 300 In Task Force discussions, representatives from Techranch and the Gallatin Development Corp have indicated there would be a strong demand for a site like this, because there is nothing else like it in Bozeman proper. We are not reinventing the wheel, however. Many other thriving university towns have used historic structures like the Story to profound advantage. It could be used as a venue to highlight technology transfer based on emerging inventions that originate within the university; and serve as a venue to attract new businesses to the valley. Task Force members indicated the Story would not no much compete with existing conference facilities in the private sector as complement what already exists, and, in fact, help expand the market and make Bozeman more attractive as a destination conference center. A note on the Story as a site for wedding receptions: The Task Force has no intention of trying to shape the Story into the Mother of All Wedding Reception Centers. While we acknowledge that wedding receptions might be held there, they rate low on the list of intended uses that will be actively courted. A note of subsidizing renters: The Task Force has no intention of managing the facilities in order to subsidize the rents of possible tenants. Users of the venue during prime time hours should expect to pay fair market value and the quality of the site will warrant it. Exceptions, of course, will be made on a limited basis to local community directed non profits in non peak hours. What will happen with the Surrounding Grounds? The green space would be managed as a public park available for citizens to use. As we envision it, however, the grounds would not be used for intensive team sports, such as baseball, soccer, Frisbee golf, or have playground equipment imposed on the lawn. One suggestion is to invite a local gardening club to be a partner in implementing a landscaping plan. Landscaping has been an unrealized part of the property dating back to the era of T.B. Story. Among the other uses we have entertained is using the lawn as an outdoor performance site for the Bozeman Symphony and Shakespeare in the Parks. To date, most of the focus of discussion has been on buildings, but we believe the value of the green space as a worthwhile public investment should not be underestimated. Bozeman's city forefathers knew that without parks, this town would be a much less alluring place to outsiders. They created parks against resistance form a few outspoken critics. Today, when we look to Lindley Park in the summertime, for example, and come together as a community there at the annual Sweet Pea celebration, which delivers economic benefits to merchants, and leaves our guests genuinely touched by our sense of civic pride based on the kind of town we have, we doubt that anyone, in hindsight, would question the wisdom or value of that park. Similarly, the grounds of the Story Mansion hold the same kind of continuously evolving promise. The property is already and the public doesn't even have title to it. Under the scenario of city purchase and citizen management, we will look back with the history we're making today is ours. This property can become anything the community wants it to be. 301 Comparable facilities: Thumbnail sketches Business plan info from other comparable sites will be available at the City Commission meeting Moss Mansion in Billings Square footage: 14,400 (3,600 feet on each of four floors) Primary uses: As museum and events center Managed by: non - profit 2003 Budget: $195,000 Number of full -time employees: 2 (director and maintenance /groundskeeper) Major expenses: Power: $3600 per year Water (inside): $400 Grounds /lawn watering: $8250 PR (newsletter and ads): $18,000 Visitation: 14,000 paid customers plus 30,000 others who come for events. "We don't make a lot of the money but the nearby hotels and shops and gas stations do," says Ruth, the Moss' executive director. 'When the movie, Son of the Morning Star, was filmed in Billings, the movie people said they wouldn't have chosen Billings without the Moss Mansion." Bush House, Salem Oregon 20,000 square feet Primary uses: As museum, arts facility and events center Managed by: non profit 2003 Budget: $500,000 Number of employees: 3 Funding sources: Membership: 8 percent Gallery sales: 20 percent Tuition and fees: 15 percent Fundraisers: 40 percent Other: 17 percent Bush House also operates a separate Bush House Conservatory focused on botanicals and a surrounding outside garden. Conrad Mansion, Kalispell 13,000 square feet Built in 1895, gifted to the city Primary uses: museum and events center 302 uj U) U 0 z LO 0 F- ::D 0 'Ofo 0 a U ; IL F. w 0 0 F— F— L) LLI Oo U) 4c w z Li- < 0 2 OR , >- Ld 0 m F- ::D 0 'Ofo 0 a U ; IL F. w 0 0 F— F— L) LLI Oo U) 4c w U) r� v I 0 U z 0 0 w 1..Lt H U W O z 0 Mal Q �o o U � LY] U) Z O HO N d a t z 0 0 � Q �Qo o Z U 1 KZ. f 0 z 0 �MM 0 1--" U) I� Q z uj Q U Q., z 0 r►••r G LO i09�. U_ - I M W � >OR U) � Qcd c� Z U) Ld :-z- d LU Lil >I W OR C) > ,-- > li N Z � y W ~ O U . ., r t. i • �c rl Ir) _ z W _N � U > O � Z N r t. i • �c rl Ir) Budget: $175,0004200,000 Rent per event: $200 Number of full -time employees: 1, part-time employees 15 -20 One big fundraiser called "the Christmas festival" that nets $15,000 A Copy of the Task Force's Request for Congressional Appropriation Submission from the Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board and members of the Story Mansion Preservation Task Force (which includes Montana State University and the City of Bozeman) to Montana's congressional delegation of U.S, senators Conrad Burns and Max Baucus, and Congressman Denny Rehberg Project: Restoration of the historic and well -known T.B. Story mansion in Bozeman to facilitate its use as a vital toot for fostering economic development within the Gallatin Valley and as an important conduit between Montana State University, the business community in Bozeman, and the public. Brief Description: An appropriation of $3.5 million is sought to fully restore the Story mansion, its adjacent carriage house, and the large grounds surrounding it, which would be used as a public park. Given ongoing threats to the historic integrity of the property and years of deferred maintenance, urgent action is needed. Executive Summary: Anyone who passes through the heart of Bozeman's renowned historic district on their way to Montana State University is left awe - inspired and impressed by the massive Thomas Byron Story mansion along Willson Avenue. As one prominent historian notes: "The Story mansion is of unparalleled historic and architectural importance in Bozeman. It is difficult to imagine a place that is more familiar to local residents- -and more appreciated- - than this exceptional, one -of -a -kind historic landmark. Arguably no property has inspired as much local pride or contributed as much to Bozeman's unique heritage, identity and cherished sense of place. As such, this irreplaceable National Register of Historic Places listing is unquestionably worthy of determined and timely historic preservation efforts." As the original estate created by the son of one of Montana's famous pioneer families, the mansion is beloved as a community touchstone; and indeed it is the centerpiece of Bozeman's visionary Historic Conservation Overlay 306 District, which has become a model for other communities across the country. Some eighty years ago, the mansion was purchased by the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and has been the proud residence of more than 1,000 SAE alumni who have gone on to graduate from MSU and today represent a who's who of business leaders in the state and indeed the nation. The Story mansion and the adjacent carriage house have suffered, however, from years of deferred maintenance and since the late 1990s, the fraternity has attempted to sell the buildings and one -block square grounds on the open real estate market. However, given the restoration needs and the strong desire from the fraternity and the community to keep the site historically protected and in tact, a suitable buyer has not been found. What we propose with this funding request is the means to bring to fruition an innovative public - private partnership that would be made possible by support from both the City of Bozeman, which would acquire the property, and the federal government, which would provide badly needed funds to bring about restoration. Congressional Action Needed: An appropriation of $3.5 million to adequately restore both the mansion and carriage house, making both fully publicly accessible, shoring up foundation work, and facilitating their transformation from single family /fraternity living into functional conference spaces also suitable for a wide variety of university functions. We fully anticipate this would be a one -time appropriation request, though it would go a long way toward permanently protecting Bozeman's most visible historic landmark, which has been of inestimable value to generations past and untold numbers of Montanans in the future. Importance to Montana. Funding at the amount requested would allow necessary restoration to take place. Some have placed the restoration estimate at between $4 million and $5 million but we have fully explored options for a more economical way to get the job done and still deliver maximum public value. The result would be an unprecedented venue in the Gallatin Valley, and indeed very likely across Montana, that would serve as a venue at where the research and development investments at MSU would be showcased; where the university and business entrepreneurs could converge for vital community functions; and indeed where the surrounding green space would serve as not merely a park but as a permanent outdoor home for such vital citizen - galvanizing evens as the Bozeman Symphony and Shakespeare in the Parks. At present, no such venue exists in the Gallatin Valley and such a site would only enhance and complement the kind of venues which already exist in the private sector. Indeed, across the country, historic sites like this one serve as anchors for the kind of economic activity that serve not only as incubators for bringing about New Economy development but in sending signals to companies considering relocation to communities that are attractive because they honor and respect their sense of history, and their proud connection to the past. Unfortunately, in an equal number of other places, the failure to protect and preserve these historical treasures has resulted in only the sorrowful lament of lost opportunity. 307 In Montana today, the Story Mansion represents a golden opportunity for public dollars to serve as vital fuel for creating the engine that will drive our economy in this new millennium. It promises to deliver a wide variety of dividends for business and community. The funds appropriated by Congress would be part of a larger package, including an investment made by the City of Bozeman for purchase and monies fund raised locally. The university's involvement, because of tough economic times in Montana, would not amount to a direct contribution but a steady flow of uses to the buildings and grounds to deliver a steady cash flow that would be applied toward ongoing maintenance. The property itself would be managed by a special citizen -run management board, representing a wide cross - section of university experts, business people, and members of the local community. Contacts: Contact for more information: Jim Webster, spokesman, Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board. Daytime phone number: 406 - 587 -5461 Clark Johnson, Bozeman City Manager Geoff Gamble, MSU president Attachments: Please note attached letter written to the Bozeman City Commission from local historic preservation resident Derek Strahn, a Bozeman native; nationally recognized expert on community historic preservation and the former Historic Preservation Officer with the City of Bozeman. Mr. Strahn currently teaches civics and geography at Bozeman Senior High School. His letter provides more detailed background on the importance of this site to Montana and was written in support of city purchase of the property as part of Phase I. Phase II involves securing a Congressional appropriation to make the facility useable as a venue for economic development. 10111:3 March 22, 2003 Bozeman City Commission P.O. Box 1230 Bozeman, MT 59771 Dear City Commissioners: As someone deeply concerned about historic preservation, and a local resident who lives less than three blocks from the SAE property, I am taking this opportunity to voice my strong support for the City's acquisition of the historic T. Byron Story mansion at 811 South Willson Avenue. There are several reasons why the City of Bozeman should give serious consideration to the recent offer made by the SAE fraternity to facilitate Phase One of a visionary proposal to make this property a focal point for achieving historic preservation and promoting economic development. Moreover, I believe that with a Congressional appropriation to complete restoration in Phase Two of the plan crafted by the Story Mansion Preservation Task Force, this site would be an invaluable resource for the kind of economic stimulus we are seeking in Montana. The Story mansion is of unparalleled historic and architectural importance in Bozeman. It is difficult to imagine a place that is more familiar to local residents - -and more appreciated- -than this exceptional, one -of -a -kind historic landmark. Arguably no property has inspired as much local pride or contributed as much to Bozeman's unique heritage, identity and cherished sense of place. As such, this irreplaceable National Register of Historic Places listing is unquestionably worthy of determined and timely historic preservation efforts. The City of Bozeman is the best candidate for ensuring the preservation of the Story mansion. The City has been historically committed to the promotion of preservation in its historic since the late 1980s, when it created eight historic neighborhoods and established one of the largest Conservation Overlay Districts in the nation. Moreover, unlike other well- meaning but hastily- organized preservation groups, the City of Bozeman is an established and legitimate body with the critically needed ability to partner with other local, regional, and national entities to develop and promote a feasible preservation agenda and generate the funding necessary to get the job done. The Mayor, the City Manager, and key representatives from Montana State University, the Gallatin Development Corporation, the Montana Preservation Alliance, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Conrad Burns' office have already had serious discussions on the matter. They have come to the same conclusion: this is an idea of considerable merit and the time to act is now. Acquiring the Story mansion need not be a long term commitment for the City of Bozeman, but rather a short-term commitment with long -term consequences. Rather than purchasing the property and immediately launching into an expensive full -blown restoration project, the City would be wise to commit to temporary ownership and then establish feasible timetable for incremental improvements. First and foremost the City could legally erase the lot lines and 91041 establish conservation easements. Such action would forever guarantee that the property not fall victim to insensitive proposals that subdivide the lot, permanently change its original appearance, and severely limit the possibility that a new owner could receive historic rehabilitation tax credits and other sources of governmental funding that almost certainly would be needed for eventual restoration. Once this admirable goal is accomplished, the City could open the Story mansion to public uses by Montana State University and others to generate needed cash flow for operations. This exciting partnership between the City, the University, and local residents could dovetail with a concerted fundraising campaign to address critical maintenance needs, thereby minimizing future rehabilitation expenses while better ensuring an increasing property value during the time the mansion is in public hands. Grants and other sources of funding could also be utilized to offset the initial cost of acquisition, and those savings could then be passed on to a future preservation- minded buyer. While some critics will undoubtedly argue that the City should spend its limited resources on other needs, it is hard to conceive of an expenditure that would be remembered and appreciated by future generations as much as saving the Story mansion. For nearly seventy years local residents have bemoaned the fact that the original Story mansion on Main Street could not be spared from demolition. "Why," countless residents have said to me on numerous occasions, "couldn't the City have figured out a way to save this important landmark ?" Let's not make the same decision this time. Now we have a chance to act - -a chance to make a different choice with the hope of preserving the past for present and future generations. Please consider the possibilities before it is too late. Your children and grandchildren will be glad that you did. Sincerely, B. Derek Strahn, former Historic Preservation Officer 412 West Harrison Street Bozeman, MT 59715 310