Agenda Date: 10/14/2025
Subject:
Title
Bemis House Restoration Potential Partnership with Rotary Club of Littleton
Body
From:
James L. Becklenberg, City Manager
Prepared by:
Mike Gent, Deputy City Manager
Presentations:
Zach Frederick, Heidi Krabacher-Taylor, and Dale Cochran - Rotary Club of Littleton
Pablo Undurraga, JPU Architects
Gene Greene, Studio Greene Architecture + Preservation
PURPOSE:
Rotary of Littleton approached the city about partnering to preserve and restore the historical Bemis House and expand the community use of this property; this agenda item shares the discussions thus far and potential next steps.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME(S) SERVED:
Vibrant Community with a Rich Culture; High-Quality Governance
DISCUSSION:
The city has owned the Bemis House located at 5890 Bemis Street since it was gifted to the city in 1970 by the Bemis Family. In 2022, Rotary Club of Littleton approached the city about partnering to preserve and revitalize Bemis House, as well as creating additional meeting space on this property to support the civic work of the Rotary club and other similar community-based groups. Since that time, club members have discussed possible conceptual design as well as fund-raising strategies that could be used to move this potential partnership forward.
City staff agrees that historical preservation and restoration efforts for the Bemis House are needed, and this common goal is a critical component of a potential partnership. As the existing residential building is a designated historic landmark, elements of this proposed project likely could be subject to the city's historical preservation process, including review and evaluation of appropriateness from the city's Historical Preservation Commission. To this end, the Rotary Club has engaged an architect that specializes in projects involving historically significant structures, consulted with state and local historical preservation planners, and understands continuing historical preserva...
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