Student housing redevelopment
As project moves forward, Historic Boulder questions public input process
As the Millennium Harvest House Hotel inches closer to being redeveloped into housing geared toward students, advocates with Historic Boulder are questioning whether the city conducted enough public engagement regarding the potential demolition of the building.
“It’s the largest building that is ever going to be demolished and it is over 50 years old,” Historic Boulder Executive Director Leonard Segel said.
“We’re just wondering why there was no public review for that.”
According to Bizwest reporting, Landmark Properties Inc., a Georgia-based builder specializing in student housing, has proposed demolishing the hotel, at 1345 28th St., and replacing it with three four-story buildings up to 55 feet in height.
Those buildings would house 295 apartments with a total of 931 bedrooms. There will be no onsite affordable housing at the complex, but the developer intends to pay about $15 million in cash-inlieu, which Boulder uses to fund affordable housing elsewhere in the city.
In a letter sent to Boulder City Manager Nuria Rivera-vandermyde, Historic Boulder questioned whether the city obtained the proper amount of public input ahead of determining whether the property should be designated as a landmark. Such a designation is meant to preserve and protect buildings and areas that have been determined to have a special character and historic, architectural or aesthetic interest or value to the city, according to the city.
“It is one of the more significant properties in town and there has been essentially no involvement allowed from the public regarding the historic preservation aspects of this project,” Historic Boulder wrote in its letter.
However, Comprehensive Planning Manager Kristofer Johnson said the project followed the protocols outlined in Boulder Revised Code.
Proposals that include the full demolition of primary buildings constructed between 1940 and 1972 that have not been designated as a historic landmark are initially reviewed by staff.
This review determines whether there is probable cause to believe the building may be eligible for designation as an individual landmark.
The review includes a detailed analysis of the historic, architectural and environmental significance of the building, Johnson noted.
The Harvest House, constructed in 1959, went through the required process and was reviewed for eligibility by Boulder’s historic preservation staff.
“The analysis concluded that the building was significantly modified in the 1980s and would not be potentially eligible for landmark designation,” Johnson wrote in response to emailed questions.
The conceptual plans for the project have been greenlighted by Boulder’s Planning Board and City Council.
The site review application will ultimately need to go before the Planning Board for a public hearing. If the Planning Board approves it, the City Council can choose whether or not to call up the proposal for further consideration. If the Council opts against it, the project is approved by default.
As long as the necessary approvals are secured, demolition of the hotel can occur before the site review is approved.
In its letter to the city manager, Historic Boulder acknowledged “the important value to Boulder of adding much needed housing as proposed in this development.”
However, it suggested that the existing building, or a portion of it, be repurposed and incorporated into the new development.
“It can have a new life,” the organization wrote.