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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01_Cover_Letter 1 Seth Cooper and Cassie Colombo Colombo’s Pizza & Pasta LLC Feather & Fig Enterprises LLC 415 S 8th Ave Bozeman, Montana Mayor Cyndy Andrus Deputy Mayor Terry Cunningham Commissioner I-Ho Pomeroy Commissioner Jennifer Madgic Commissioner Christopher Coburn 121 N Rouse Avenue Post Office Box 1230 Bozeman, MT 59715 RE: Historic Designation for Westgate Village, 1003-1011 West College Street, Bozeman, Gallatin County, Montana 59715 Dear Mayor Andrus, Deputy Mayor Cunningham, and City Commissioners; Westgate Village, 1003-1011 West College Street, was Bozeman’s first multi-unit shopping center. At the grand opening, on Novermber 29th, 1957, a contest was held to “name the shopping center,” and first prize was a ($419) “Tel-Funken Radio and Hi-Fi Set.” The chosen name, “Westgate Village,” refers to the western gate of Montana State University. The building was designed by Hugo Eck, a locally renowned architect and professor at Montana State University. The property has recently been determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (“National Register”) by the Montana State Historic Preservation Office. The history of the building is detailed in the enclosed document “02 Montana Historic Property Record, Westgate Village Shopping Center,” which provides additional detailed information regarding the history of Westgate Village, the architect, businesses renting spaces in the building for over 60 years, as well as an evaluation of the property’s integrity and historical significance. We respectfully request your review and adoption, by resolution, of our findings supporting the historic designation of Westgate Village Shopping Center ("Westgate Village”), including the historic and cultural significance of the property’s signage. The signage, designed to attract business to the shopping center, was originally intended and remains an integral component of the building design. The intent of our plan to preserve the historic elements of the building is to contribute to the continued economic vitality and the unique sense of place and community in the West College Street area. In conjunction with the findings supporting the historic or cultural significance of the signage, a Comprehensive Sign Plan is enclosed along with other supporting documentation. Bozeman Municipal Code Sec. 38.340.070. of the Bozeman Municipal Code, “some buildings within the conservation district do not conform to contemporary zoning standards. In order to encourage restoration, rehabilitation and appropriate new construction activity that would contribute to the overall historic character of the community, deviations from underlying zoning requirements may be granted as described in division 38.250 of this chapter.” Per Section 38.560.170 of the Bozeman Municipal Code, “signs which have historical or cultural significance to the city…may be permitted, provided that the city commission adopts findings supporting the historical or cultural significance of the sign and issues a sign permit. Such findings must be adopted by resolution.” The Planning Department requested that we submit through the Comprehensive Sign 2 Plan procedures even though the proposed project does not fit the routine sign permit process. The document, “03 Comprehensive Sign Plan: Historic and Culturally Significant Signs, Westgate Village Shopping Center,” is submitted for approval in conformance with this Section. Westgate Village Findings of Historical and Cultural Significance Detailed findings supporting the historical and cultural significance of Westgate Village and its signage are provided in the Montana Historic Property Record included with this letter and summarized as follows. - The Westgate Village shopping center, built in 1957, was the first small neighborhood multi-unit retail shopping center in Bozeman and the original design of the building is largely intact. The original design of the building included spaces for five business separated by common walls, under one roof structure, with a single continuous façade and automobile parking focusing on the building and its businesses. The exterior of the building has seen only minor changes from the original. - The building was designed by Hugo Eck, a locally renowned architect and professor at Montana State University. The building is an example of design that capitalizes on automobile and pedestrian access to a small shopping centers increasingly popular in the United States during the post-World War II/1950-1960s period. These shopping centers were developed in response to growing urban populations and economical use of the automobile which allowed transportation away from the commercial centers or “Main Street” areas of many towns. - The name, “Westgate Village,” refers to the western gate of Montana State College (now Montana State University). - Historic photos included in the Montana Historic Property Record show roof top signs in the same positions as currently located, which are attached to the expanded metal covered steel frames attached to the roof. The purpose of the roof top signs was to identify and advertise each business to passing automobile traffic along West College Street, a design element characterized often in 1950s modern commercial architecture. - As described in the 1957 City of Bozeman Application for Erection Permits (for sign or other advertising structure) and subsequent Erection Permits, the original signs marking each individual business at Westgate Village were to be mounted on the vertical surface of the horizontal wood beam supporting the front edge of the covered walkway roof (City of Bozeman Sign Permit files, November 25 and 26, 1957, Application/Permit numbers: 291/60, 292/6, and 293/63). Sometime between December 1957 and the mid-to late 1970s, individual business signs were changed to larger roof-mounted illuminated frame signs, as noted in later photos.—sign permits for the roof-top signs, however, have not been located. - The 1957 sign permit for the free-standing Westgate Village parking lot sign was described in the City of Bozeman’s Application for Erection Permit number 64 (December 10, 1957) and Application for Erection Permit (sign or other advertising structure) number 290 (November 22, 1957) (City of Bozeman Sign Permit files). As noted in the Historic Property Record, the sign permit for the Westgate Village sign was approved and signed by Walter R. Sales, for the City of Bozeman. Sales was also the winner of the contest to name Westgate Village during the grand opening festivities in November 1957, and went on to serve five sessions in the Montana legislature. The Montana State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) realized the importance of a contextual understanding of Mid-20th Century/Post-World War II architecture, and its importance to the overall thematic expanse of history in Montana. The SHPO’s National Register eligibility determination for Westgate Village, based on the Montana Historic Property Record, further demonstrates the historical and cultural significance of Westgate Village and its distinctive signage, which are contributing historical elements. The following is a summary of the National Register eligibility and related criteria from the Montana Historic Property Record. 3 - The historic Westgate Village Shopping Center meets numerous specific elements of Criteria A, B, and C for evaluating a historic property for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. - The building clearly is associated with events related to the significant era of Post-World War II/Mid-20th Century commercial development (Criterion A). The creation of the building was in response to the increasing urban population and economic growth in Bozeman. The Westgate Village building was the first such multi-unit shopping centers designed and constructed in Bozeman and southwest Montana. The building served as model for the other small, medium, and large multi-unit shopping center that were later built in Montana. The post war era growth and development of the southwest Bozeman/College area set the stage for the particular design and construction of the Westgate Village building. - The building meets the elements of Criterion B for eligibility to the National Register based on its design by noted local architect, Hugo Eck. - The Westgate Village building also meets the elements for justifying significance under Criterion C. Although not a grand architectural building, the shopping center utilized unique 20th century elements of design, materials, construction, and setting to create an efficient and genuine structure that continues to meet the needs of mobile customers as well as business owners. The simple, almost utilitarian, International Style met the needs for a low-cost neighborhood shopping center and included design details that allowed effective maintenance, continuous service, and simple aesthetics for public enjoyment. - Significant contributing elements of the Westgate Village historic property that support a recommendation for nomination to the National Register include: 1. The original rectangular form and structure of the building, with all of the retained materials. 2. The original flat, built-up roof in two levels with projecting portion on the south to cover the concrete walkway with support posts. 3. The original full-width concrete walkway along the south (front) façade, and concrete pad for the original “Westgate Village” sign near the southeast corner of the building 4. The original free-standing business sign in the southeast corner of the parking lot. 5. Painted mural on exterior of east wall of building. 6. The original metal mesh covered metal frame roof-top business signs placed on the roof. 7. The entire original full-width façade in five asymmetrical bays (one for each rental unit), each made of large, fixed glass windows, glass doors in original openings, original above- door transom spaces, and rustic-form brick base walls in stacked-bond pattern beneath windows. 8. CMU block walls in stacked-bond pattern on west, north, and east exterior walls. 9. The entire full-width asphalt parking lot between the front façade concrete walkway on the south side of the building and the sidewalk along the north side of West College Street. As noted in the Historic Property Record, although the free-standing Westgate Village sign has been removed, its configuration, dimensions, and materials are known and could be easily restored. Even though the larger roof-top signs were not used on the building in the late 1950s, they were installed for each business sometime after 1959 and before the mid-to late-1970s, when photographs and sign permits first indicate the location of such signs. As stated earlier, larger roof-top signs would be more visible to pedestrians and vehicle traffic in keeping with the original design intent of the building. The concept of roof-top signs at Westgate Village is at least 50 years old, hence justifiable as contributing elements of the building. With respect to the current Bozeman Municipal Code, the existing zoning and regulation would allow only 80 square feet of signage (less than ¼ of the signage currently in use) to be divided up among all 4 four units of Westgate Village, and rooftop and pole signs would both be prohibited. Signs small enough to conform to this requirement would not conform to the historical design, dimensions, and style of the building. The signage is an important contributing feature of the building and its historic significance, which we wish to retain. In terms of historic integrity, according to the Historic Property Record, the Westgate Village Shopping Center retains all aspects location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association to justify documentation of high integrity. The building retains its original historical location, scale, feeling, setting, and association as a small neighborhood shopping center adjacent to the bustling Montana State University campus. The original design, materials, and construction have been retained as intended, and the building highly reflects its period of significance. Conclusion The enclosed Comprehensive Sign Plan is a small part of an overall plan both to restore the historical nature and integrity of the shopping center and improve and revitalize this historic business hub on West College. Two additional documents, the Historic Preservation Plan: Westgate Village Shopping Center and the Planning Park Lot Improvement for Westgate Village Shopping Center (04, 05) detail additional plans for the building and site, and the Determination of Eligibility for the National Register (06) and several letters of support (07) are also included. Based on the foregoing information and the additional documents included herewith and listed below, we respectfully request that you recognize the historic significance of the Westgate Village Shopping Center, including the signage as described herein and in the Historic Property Record, and adopt findings by resolution supporting this and approving the Comprehensive Sign Plan pursuant to Section 38.560.170 of the Bozeman Municipal Code. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Sincerely, Seth Cooper & Cassie Colombo (406) 577-2641 Additional Documents: 02. Montana Historic Property Record, Westgate Village Shopping Center 03. Comprehensive Sign Plan: Historic and Culturally Significant Signs, Westgate Village Shopping Center 04. (DRAFT) Historic Preservation Plan: Westgate Village Shopping Center 05. Planned Parking Lot Improvement for Westgate Village Shopping Center 06. Determination of Eligibility for Westgate Village Shopping Center 07. Letters of Support