John Scarffe, Black Hawk.   The Black Hawk City Council approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for the demolition of the entire residential structure and attached garage at 531 Chase Street during a regular meeting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24, 2018, at 211 Church Street. The council also approved additions to the Business Improvement District.

Cindy Linker, of community planning and development, introduced the resolution to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness. The Historic Preservation Commission evaluated the information in this report, as well as testimony by staff and the historic preservation consultant at its October 16, 2018 meeting, according to the request for council action.

At the conclusion of their discussion, the Historic Preservation Commission recommended approving the COA based on the criteria set forth in the staff report dated October 1, 2018. The COA application meets the intent of the criteria outlined in the Black Hawk Municipal Code.

The City of Black Hawk’s residential design guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for rehabilitation do not specifically address the demolition of non-contributing structures, according to the request. This parcel is zoned Environmental Character Preservation (ECP), which allows single family homes and a Bed and Breakfast as an accessory use.

The estimated date of construction for the original portion of this structure is 1890, as recorded with the Gilpin County Assessor’s Office. The assessor also indicates an effective year build of 1961, suggesting that significant modifications may have occurred to the building in or about that year, according to the request.

The building was originally a single family residence. Photo documentation from the 1972 Gilpin County records shows the structure was originally a one-story rectangular building, with a gable roof covered with what appears to be wood shingles. The walls are covered with horizontal wood siding, and the windows appear to be one-over-one light.

The structure was first evaluated for its historic and architectural significance in 1986 when the National Park Service conducted a survey of historic resources in the communities of Black Hawk, Central City and Nevadaville. When the National Park Service surveyed this structure, it was described as a 1 and a half story rectangular building in good condition with a gable roof covered with wood shingles. Walls are covered with random ashlar stone.

The structure is surrounded by a metal fence, located near a vacant mine, and faces Chase Street. The description of this structure remains unchanged from the NPS Survey in 1986. The NPS reviewer included the following conclusion: “Structure was originally a horizontal wood siding residence. Due to additions and alterations, structure no longer contributes to the district,” states the request.

Linker said that in 1986 when NPS did the survey, it no longer contributed to history because of skylights and stone veneer. The address was never counted in the resource documents and so, according to the topographic map of the district, this building was not included in the expanded district and lies outside the district.

The structure had fire damage in 2009, and staff had a building code consultant look at it, Linker said. He decided it was unsafe for occupancy. In 2017, the city acquired the property.

Fire destroyed the majority of the structure, and absolutely no historic fabric is left that you would recognize as historic, Linker said. A significant portion of the building was constructed in the driveway, and Safebuilt confirmed the building had been abandoned for several years. Demolition is the best choice.

They will disconnect the electricity and gas. Sanitation and sewer will be capped at the main. The council approved the COA application.

The council approved two requests for consideration of the inclusion of property into the Black Hawk Business Improvement District and changing the boundaries of the district.

The city received a petition from JIJE, LLC, for inclusion of Canyon Black Hawk Subdivision Filing No. 1, and a petition from Kings, Queens, and Jacks, LLC (the “Petition”) for inclusion of parcels including Part of Sioux City #909 and Sleepy Hollow #352; Fitz-Rohling Inn Minor Subdivision Expansion Lot 1; and Fitzgeralds Casino Minor Subdivision.

City Attorney Corey Hoffmann said these were both just clean up ordinances.

(Originally published in the November 15, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)