Denver has 359 structures or districts designated "historical" or granted "landmark" status by the city.
These include iconic titans of the city like the Wells Fargo Center and Union Station downtown, but also includes the Speer Boulevard historic district and other smaller parcels of land.
After a public hearing Monday, Council declined to designate 401 Madison St. as the city's 360th.
In September, a demolition permit application for the property was submitted by its new owner. While reviewing the application, staff at Denver's Department of Community Planning and Development realized the house may be eligible for preservation.
The structure has "distinct characteristics" of the late modern architectural style, according a presentation given to council members. It is also a significant example of a recognized architect, Richard Crowther, who lived in the home until his death in 2006.
Tom Hart has been a practicing architect for 30 years and said Denver is lucky that Crowther built a "landmark residence" in Denver. He added this brings with it a responsibility to protect and preserve it.
"Today I'm representing fellow citizens and preservationists who want to protect the endangered Crowther house," he said at the meeting. "The minute the threat was known, the floodgates opened to people who came from out of the woodwork to ensure it is granted landmark status."
But preservationists appeared to be fighting an uphill battle. After Crowther's death in 2006, the home exchanged hands four times and none of the owners lived in it according to Steve Hilman, who represented the property owners.
During that time, the home fell into disrepair and none sought to rehabilitate the property, Hilman said.
"The cost to rehab the property is exorbitant. It is exorbitant because the property is in a state of disrepair," he said. "A prospective buyer is looking at a total price of proximately $7 million to purchase and restore this property."
The property owners, MAG Builders of Englewood, plan to demolish the house and build two duplexes with four housing units. MAG Builders market themselves as the makers of Denver's "finest mountain modern homes."
Ultimately, eight council members opposed the designation, clearing the way for demolition.
"Frankly, having more owner supported historic designation is important too. We've had owner supported historic designations in District 10 that have passed unanimously'" Councilman Chris Hinds said. "I struggle with saying that this is indeed a historic structure."
Other council business Monday sparked conversation early in the meeting.
Of particular note was council resolution 22-1579, which asked council to approve the 2022 city mill levy for property taxes due in 2023.
"This is a tax increase for the citizens of Denver or property owners of Denver," District 9 Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca said. "I do not believe this is what residents need right now."
CdeBaca said Council considered a levy increase every year since she began serving. Margaret Danuser, the Chief Financial Officer, disagreed — saying this was not the case. The property tax rate is one of two parts of property tax payments, the other being an assessed value of a property.
According to the Department of Finance, the mill increase will still result in a savings of $62 compared to previous assessment rates. The Department of Finance came to this conclusion using a home valued at $469,000.
The increase is a response to a state bill, SB 21-293, which Danuser said temporarily reduces assessment rates. This has cost the city about $5 million in revenue. Over ten years, that balloons to $60 million in revenue Danuser said the city can never get back.
"This bill is doing two things. It is setting the tax rates for 1/3 of the property owners tax bill," At Large Councilwoman Robin Kniech said. "One third of the tax bill has a handful of eight or nine different specific line items. And it's setting what the line items are. And within setting those line items, it's compensating for something that happened at the state legislature."
Council approved the 0.249 mill increase 10-2, with CdeBaca joined in opposition by District 5 Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer.
