John Scarffe, Black Hawk.  The Black Hawk City Council approved a Professional Services Agreement with PEH Architects for the design of the Gregory Street Phase 2 Project including a proposed plaza area during a regular meeting at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, at 211 Church Street. Matt Reed with Public Works introduced a resolution approving the agreement with PEH Architects for Gregory Street Phase 2 design services in an amount not to exceed $840,095.

This agreement encompasses complete design fees for the renovation of the McAfee House, 305 and 311 Gregory Street; the Woodbury House, 321 Gregory Street; the Norton House, 351 Gregory Street and the Bobtail Mine building, 426 Gregory Street. The project also includes a new fire truck display building west of the Norton House, a new public restroom building between the historic church and the Norton House, relocation and renovation of the Bunk House at 261 Gregory Street and miscellaneous design services for the proposed plaza area, including stairs and walls, according to the request for council action.

The Gregory Street Master Plan shows the plaza area and buildings included within this agreement, which does not include services to renovate the properties at 211 and 221 Gregory Street. A separate agreement for this work will be presented at a subsequent council meeting, according to the request.

“PEH has successfully completed many projects involving historic structures for the City of Black Hawk. PEH’s fees are in line with fees they have received for previous projects within the city,” states the request. Construction should be completed by December 31, 2020.

During a work session at 1:30 p.m. before the regular meeting, Nathan Pillatzke and Peter Heinz with PEH Architects gave the council a complete overview of the project. According to the Gregory Street Master Plan, the plaza needs to meet ADA requirements, so the three houses will be raised up, rehabilitated and turned into commercial buildings, Pillatzke said.
The McAfee House can have an addition in the back. The first floor of the house could be used for retail. Pillatzke said the houses are warm, vanilla boxes for tenants to come in and fix up. They are preserving the chimneys as they come up through the roof.

The McAfee and Woodbury houses were joined for different purposes, so they will raise them up, and the Woodbury House will include a small service access, Pillatzke said. The historic Methodist Church will have to be renovated because of the elevation change.

The architects suggested red brick for the church with its stone foundation and a metal gable to give it complimentary color on the brick with gothic architecture on the windows. Mayor David Spellman said the city is trying to have the Rocky Mountain Evangelic Church embrace this, so they have doubled the lane as drop off for the congregation and offered to strip the paint and do the brick. When the extended bus stop narrowed the drive, the city offered to pay to move back the Norton house.

The Norton House is being pushed back into the hillside, so it will remain 2,000 square feet. Pillatzke said that, in its current location, the house was pinching movement on to the plaza, so they will push it back to make it easier for cars to get into the plaza.

A ramp will lead to the restored Norton House, where the Last Chance Saloon and public restrooms in a small one-story building will serve tourists and the public. Pillatzke said that the next grade change will be a big stairwell leading up to a building with a display area for the historic 1935 fire truck.

The Fire Truck display building with a gabled roof will be big enough to drive the fire truck into along with a large American flag and other fire paraphernalia, Pillatzke said. It will be more of a showcase from the plaza and not necessary a walk-through area.

The inside is fairly austere, and it’s all for the display of fire memorabilia. Heinz said that public restrooms, a closet and an outside water fountain will be included. They are looking to add three flag poles at the top, so the first thing a visitor would see be the flags and then the fire truck display.
At the very top on High Street, another set of stairs will lead to a crosswalk across the street to the Bobtail Mine building, Pillatzke said. The Bunkhouse will be relocated, and it will be turned into public restrooms for large events and convenience.

The Bunkhouse will face the Bobtail Mine. They kept the current elevation for the mine building and would make that face Gregory Street with four openings on one side so you would see as much of the building as possible.
The mine building will include ticket space for tours, so they are required to provide separate facilities. Heinz said that the Bobtail Mine will have a wraparound deck, and the interior has ticket space.

It’s too small for toilet facilities, so they will be next to it. They are still working on deck design. A retaining wall and mining display area that are not part of this project will have to be built.

Coming back across from High Street will be a sidewalk at an extended bus stop and then leading people on to the plaza, where a retaining wall will be built, Pillatzke said. The extended bus stop will be doubled in length for drop off space for the church and accessible access for people who are using the church to park.

Further down, landscaping with trees will provide a buffer space. The larger plaza area in the middle is for a car show or a large gathering, and they are working on creating a small space for an iconic element with a discussion and presentation space. A Seth Thomas Replica, 20-foot tall clock will be added somewhere in the middle with a lectern.

At the end of the plaza will be stairs and a wooden ramp for wheel chairs to get back down to the plaza and the parking garage. It’s a pedestrian plaza with vehicle and fire truck access, Pillatzke said. Most of the screening will be done with landscaping. A planned Excelsior Brewery building, which is not part of this project, will be the tallest building, but it does not dwarf the other buildings.

Pillatzke said for the schedule, PEH started work in November with rehabilitated housing and site elements. They have already developed drawings for initial approval. Reed has put out an RFP, and by the time April rolls around they will have pricing from contractors with drawings in May or June and applying for building permits in June.

It probably makes some sense to work on the houses and get the heavy equipment in there. Reed said he is going to proceed with a general contractor, and the city will contract directly with the design team.

He will issue an RFP and will get answers in three weeks. During the last council meeting in February, he will come back with a contractor and then later with a price.

During the regular meeting, Reed told the council that it turns out PEH Architects would like to get paid for this work. It includes the Lucky Star Eureka Development and renovation of the church. The flume is the first part of the construction.

The council approved the Professional Services Agreement with PEH Architects for the design of the Gregory Street Phase 2 Project.

(Originally published in the January 31, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)