City Council designates 575 Euclid Avenue (Sirotkin Woodman House) an individual landmark
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Summary
On Jan. 9 Boulder City Council voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance 8680, designating 575 Euclid Avenue — known as the Sirotkin Woodman House — as an individual landmark under Chapter 9-11 of the Boulder Revised Code following staff and Landmarks Board recommendations.
Boulder City Council adopted Ordinance 8680 on Jan. 9, 2025, designating the property at 575 Euclid Avenue — proposed to be named the Sirotkin Woodman House — as an individual landmark under Chapter 9‑11 (Historic Preservation) of the Boulder Revised Code.
Nut graf: The designation followed a staff presentation that described the house, constructed in 1959, as a notable example of mid‑century Usonian and modernist design and emphasized the building’s association with local artists and designers. The Landmarks Board had unanimously recommended designation on Dec. 4, and council approved the ordinance on second reading following a public hearing and a unanimous roll-call vote.
Staff presentation and finding: Marcy Gerwin of Planning and Development Services summarized the design and history of the house, noting its modernist features — curvilinear walls, ribbon windows, stacked concrete block walls and a sculptural metal chimney — and its association with Cecile Sirotkin (also spelled Sirotkin/Soratkin in historic references) and collaborators including architect Titian Papachristu and L. Gail Abels. The accessory building, designed as an artist studio by L. Gail Abels, was described in staff materials as complementary and historically significant.
Public comment: Supporters included Leonard Siegel, speaking for Historic Boulder, who urged the council to strengthen protections for older houses as the city considers zoning changes. Several speakers described the house’s artistic and architectural significance and praised the property owner, Charlie Bohn, for seeking preservation.
Council action and vote: Council Member Lauren (first reference: “Lauren”) moved adoption of Ordinance 8680 to designate the property as the Sirotkin Woodman House; the motion passed by unanimous roll-call vote. The ordinance language and the staff memorandum dated Jan. 9, 2025, were adopted as the council’s findings and conclusions.
Ending: The designation places the property on the city’s local historic register, making future exterior alterations subject to the city’s landmark and landmark alteration review process under Chapter 9‑11 of the Boulder Revised Code. The landmarking was presented by staff as preserving a representative example of Boulder’s mid‑20th‑century architectural heritage.