Historic Preservation Commission Agenda and Packet 2021 08 16

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SUMMARY: The applicant is requesting: • Approval to demolish the existing structures at 601 McKinley Avenue. According to Louisville Municipal Code (LMC) Section 15.36.020, a demolition is an act which removes "fifty percent or more of the roof area as measured from directly above," or "fifty percent or more of the exterior walls of a building as measured contiguously around the building". Under Section 15.36.200 of the LMC, if the commission finds that the building may have historical significance under the criteria "no permit for demolition, moving or removal shall be issued for a period not to exceed 180 days from the date the permit application was accepted ... The commission will make all reasonable efforts to expedite resolution of the application or request." Staff recommendations: • Staff recommends approval of a 180 day stay, expiring on January 9, 2022, giving the applicant time to research alternatives. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: Information from Bridget Bacon, Louisville Historical Museum The Louisville Heights Addition in which this house sits was first developed in 1904 by the Colorado Mortgage & Investment Co. Ltd. In 1905, the company conveyed many of the lots in the Louisville Heights subdivision to Louisville residents John Affolter and Dr. Charles Wolfer. In 1945, Raymond and Erlean Berg purchased the three blocks from Lucille Bertolotti. Raymond Berg was a former Louisville coal miner who went to work for Public Service in the 1950s. It was the Bergs who began to sell off individual lots to people to build homes. In 1947, the Bergs sold the parcel that would become 601 McKinley to Ralph and Helen Grunkemeyer. They had their home constructed on the property the same year. The 1947 date of construction given by Boulder County appears from the evidence to be the correct date. Ralph Grunkemeyer (1907-1954) came from Nebraska to Louisville in the early 1930s as a druggist and purchased the business of the Bungalow Drug Store in about 1934. Bungalow Drug was an important downtown business that supplied the town with medical supplies, medication, magazines, and toiletries, and offered soda fountain service as well. It was located on the west side of the 700 block of Main Street. Today, its location would be just to the north of the Austin Niehoff House at 717 Main, where the parking lot to the south of City Hall is located. Ralph Grunkemeyer married Helen Hughes (1912-1986) in 1938 and they had two children, Carl and Lynn. In 1947, Ralph and Helen Grunkemeyer purchased the property at 601 McKinley and had their house constructed. After Ralph passed away in 1954, Helen Grunkemeyer continued to live at 601 McKinley with her children. According to her obituary, Helen worked as a registered nurse and retired in 1974. She sold the Bungalow Drug business itself in 1954, but owned the Bungalow Drug building until 1973. It was torn down that year to make way for the City Hall parking lot.