Historic review board upgrades 439 Camino Del Monte Sol to "significant" after split vote

The Historic Districts Review Board voted on Aug. 26 to upgrade the historic status of the single‑family house at 439 Camino Del Monte Sol from "contributing" to "significant." The board's decision followed more than an hour of staff presentation, public comment and deliberation and was approved after a tie vote that was decided by the chair.

Board members and staff said the house, built in 1925, meets the ordinance's age and association criteria and that its links to early Santa Fe cultural figures weighed heavily in favor of upgrading its status. Opponents and a preservation consultant said later additions and alterations have eroded the building's integrity and questioned whether it should be classified significant.

Preservation staff recommended the upgrade, telling the board the main structure "was built in 1925 on a 0.73 acre parcel and comprises of 5,894 square feet of roofed area" and that the 1991 New Mexico Historic Building Inventory recorded its Spanish Pueblo Revival character. Paul, a preservation staff member, told the board, "The age of the house is a 100…