The land that the Kimball Garage resides on was a well-established business known as the Kimball Bros. Livery that in 1929, in order to change with the times, built the Kimball Garage – a common shift in the era from horses to automobiles.
In 1975 the Kimball Arts Center remodeled the building and it hasn’t been changed since.
CPP Kimball LLC took ownership of the building in 2015 and submitted a Historic District Design Review application that was approved in June 2016.
The owners have plans to use the building for office and retail space. But the Park City Museum didn’t the like the changes and filed an appeal.
Park City’s planning director Bruce Erickson said it’s an important decision.
“Kimball Garage is one of our designated landmark structures," Erickson said. "It’s also listed as contributory to our status as a national historic district. So there are two criteria there. The staff approved a historic district design review for the building along with our historic preservation consultant and consultation with the state historic preservation office in the Utah Heritage Foundation. The project is being appealed which is the public’s right to do by the Park City Museum on the basis that one of the two barrel roof forms is a contributory portion of the structure that defines it's character. I need to be careful because the language is a bit fussy but, character defining features is what the Historic District Design Review is all about and the Museum is suggesting that those two barrel roof, those round covered portion of the roof, are character defining for that particular building. Staff did not find that and that one of them will remain and one may be covered by a new deck on the new structure. So that’s the discussion we’re going to have with the board of adjustment.”
Erickson said he agreed with the staff’s recommendation since the barrel roof is hidden from the streetscape by the portion of the wall that is above the roof.
“You can’t see that roof unless you’re looking down on it from other portions above it in the historic district above Park and Lowell," Erickson said. "So from the streetscape you’ll never know.”
But the roof isn’t the only issue being appealed. The other issue is two sets of windows and doors on the Park Ave. side that in the staffs view are too far deteriorated and need to be replaced but the museum is appealing that decision and want to see them replaced in kind.
“And the second one is over by the old coffee shop in the entrance to the Kimball," Erickson said. "That area was remodeled back in the 1970’s and again remodeled for the coffee shop the museum is asking for more historic character on those windows as well.”
The current building sits in its original location but looks nothing like it’s original structure.
Erickson said they’re trying to prevent park city from losing its unique character and that includes preserving the historic buildings but he said that compromises have to be made in the process.
“We work very hard and take very seriously any change to our historic buildings. But it is a compromise and in order to get our historic buildings restored – and not do crazy architecture next to it – part of the things have to change to the modern world, we can’t be stuck in the past.”
Part of those compromises Erickson referred to are new building structures on the Main Street side that would require renovations to Kimball Garage. Previous proposals included four story buildings which been replaced with two and a half story structures.
“The other changes are – we’re going to be doing historically appearing but new windows in the building," Erickson said. "And obviously the proposed deck above one of the two barrel vaults.”
The basement of the Kimball Garage will be used for office space with the main floor being used for retail. The second floor of the adjacent proposed structure to the east of the garage will be used for special events.
“This is the final action on this," Erickson said. "If the board of adjustment overturns the appeal – we’ll adjust the historic district design review to include the elements that were overturned and then the Kimball Garage will pull a building permit and go to construction.”
Erickson said he's certain that a decision will be made tonight. He said if the board of adjustments upholds the bill, the applicant has the option to take it to the courts.
The meeting is at 5:30 tonight in the Park City Council Chambers.