Littleton HPC approves modified storefront plan at 2600 West Main Street, replaces mural requirement with 'blank wall treatment' option

The Littleton Historic Preservation Commission approved a conditional Certificate of Appropriateness for 2600 West Main Street, a longtime vacant property under rehabilitation by owner Brett Murphy, but amended staff’s recommendation to replace a staff-specified mural requirement with a broader “blank wall treatment” option.

Staff told the commission the application modifies previously approved storefront openings along Curtis Street, removing two storefronts and replacing the area with a brick inset that will host a mural or another accepted blank-wall treatment. Staff said the change responds to structural concerns discovered after demolition: a secondary stair and deteriorated interior brick and foundation conditions make installing storefront windows at that location risky. The remaining historic door opening would be retained.

Staff recommended approval with two conditions tied to the mural: that any mural be painted (not physically attached in a way that would harm the building) and that the owner acknowledge maintenance responsibilities for periodic cleaning, repairs and repainting. Staff also explained that Littleton’s Unified Land Use Code (ULUC) includes a downtown blank-wall provision that generally requires treatments for wall spans longer than 15 feet.

Owner Brett Murphy described a long rehabilitation process that began after he purchased the building and said unexpected conditions were found when the façade came down. Murphy told the commission he hopes, if the project can move forward, to complete construction within about 12 months. He said the proposed brick inset and wall treatment respond to structural issues and functional plans for tenant spaces.

Public comment included several nearby residents who opposed a mural on historical grounds, arguing murals are not authentic to the district and urging a plain brick treatment or brick detailing. One commenter said brick should not be painted because it is difficult to restore. Michael Kemp, speaking as a Bradford Auto Body representative, also said a mural would be out of character and urged prompt approval to allow the owner to proceed.

Commission discussion covered the ULUC 15-foot rule, alternatives to a mural (patterned brick, decorative panels, trellises, or other blank-wall treatments), the timeline for a license agreement if a wall treatment extended into the right-of-way, and the legal limits on regulating mural content (First Amendment concerns). Senior Planner Dusenberry told the commission the blank-wall provision was adopted in October 2008 and that staff could work with the applicant to finalize a compliant wall treatment on the final plan set.

A commissioner moved to approve HPC Resolution 02-2025 with staff’s mural-related conditions; another commissioner seconded. During deliberation a motion to amend replaced the word “mural” with the term “blank wall treatment,” giving the applicant flexibility to choose any treatment that meets the ULUC standards. The amendment passed 4-1 (one commissioner opposed). The main motion as amended then passed 4-1.

The approval enables the applicant to continue work with the requirement that the final plan set include a compliant blank-wall treatment or that the applicant obtain a variance or license agreement as required before final certificate of occupancy. Staff said this final documentation would be reviewed during plan-check and need to be in place prior to issuance of a CO.

Votes at a glance: HPC Resolution 02-2025 — approved as amended, 4-1. Amendment replaced a staff-specified mural condition with a requirement for a ULUC-compliant blank-wall treatment; staff retained conditions requiring painted murals to be applied (not physically embedded) and maintained if chosen.