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Boulder Landmarks Board unanimously recommends designation of 'Orchard House' at 3375 Sixteenth Street
Summary
The Boulder Landmarks Board voted unanimously May 7 to recommend that City Council designate 3375 Sixteenth Street — proposed to be known as the Orchard House — as a local historic landmark, citing its Craftsman-bungalow architecture and ties to early orchard-era families.
The Boulder Landmarks Board on May 7 voted unanimously to recommend that City Council designate the property at 3375 Sixteenth Street as a local historic landmark, finding the bungalow meets the criteria in sections 9-11-1 and 9-11-2 of the Boulder Revised Code.
Staff presented the nomination and recommended designation, describing the building as a one-and-a-half–story Craftsman bungalow with a full-width recessed porch, exposed rafter tails, a central shed dormer and character-defining porch posts and trim. Claire Brandt, historic preservation planner, told the board the house retains a high degree of historic integrity and that documentary evidence and family photographs suggest construction around 1917, though county records list 1925. Brandt said the property’s rural setting, mature trees and gravel driveway also reflect its origin as part of early orchard and truck-garden land in what is now the West Hawthorn neighborhood.
The owners applied for designation on Dec. 20, 2024; staff noted a concurrent Landmark Alteration Certificate (LAC) and pre‑application review for a rear addition and dormer. Brandt said that designation can offer certain floodplain-related exceptions for substantial improvements and that staff recommends the boundary follow the current property lines. The staff report proposes the name “Orchard House” to recognize the property’s agricultural origins.
Sedra Burstein, the applicant, spoke in support of designation and described family‑ and neighborhood‑held memories tied to the house, saying the owners “fell in love with” the building’s historic character and view themselves as stewards who want to preserve its stories for future generations. Members of Historic Boulder and neighborhood residents also spoke in favor during public comment; several speakers urged continued attention to other city‑owned park landmarks and to follow‑through on conservation recommendations.
Board discussion emphasized the house’s architectural and contextual significance as a remnant of North Boulder’s orchard and small‑farm past. John Decker, Landmarks Board member, said the property “speaks very directly to the kind of history of what North Boulder … used to be,” and other members praised the applicant’s commitment to stewardship.
John Decker moved that the board adopt the staff memorandum and recommend designation; the motion was seconded by Michael Rave. On a roll-call vote the board recorded five ayes (Chelsea Castellano, John Decker, Michael Rave, Renee Golobek and Abby Daniels), fulfilling the code’s three‑member affirmative threshold. The board will forward its recommendation to City Council; staff said City Council will hold an initial consent hearing and a subsequent public hearing within 100 days.
The designation, if approved by City Council, will be recorded with the finding that the property is an important example of Boulder’s historic architecture and landscape and is eligible under the cited sections of the Boulder Revised Code. Staff will coordinate scheduling with the applicants and council to set hearing dates.
