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Boulder City commission weighs museum versus multiuse future for historic filtration plant
Summary
The Boulder City Historic Preservation Commission reviewed options for reusing the city’s 300 Railroad Avenue water filtration plant — constrained by a 40-year deed restriction tied to a state rehabilitation grant — and discussed whether to pursue museum accreditation or a more flexible multiuse venue with community programming.
The Boulder City Historic Preservation Commission on Jan. 28 reviewed reuse options for the historic water filtration plant at 300 Railroad Avenue, a property encumbered by a state rehabilitation grant and a deed restriction that requires the city to preserve the building and use it as a cultural resource for 40 years.
Krista, city staff, told commissioners that one condition of the state grant is a deed restriction requiring preservation of the property for 40 years and use as a cultural resource. She also noted the building’s unusual interior and pointed commissioners to the architectural and structural assessment included in the staff report.
“One of the obligations of the city tied to this grant is the city, through a deed restriction, must preserve the property for 40 years and utilize it as a cultural resource,” Krista said. That obligation, commissioners noted, narrows long-term options and means any reuse must align with Secretary of the Interior standards and SHPO guidance.
Dr. McMahon, who identified himself as someone who runs a state museum, cautioned that turning the space into an accredited museum would require substantial alterations and climate-control systems. “If you want accreditation, there are certain things you have to do in order to preserve your artifacts in the long term,” he said, warning that those requirements could demand significant work that may conflict with preservation standards.
Commissioners debated a range of alternatives. Several said the building’s interior — with open floor tanks, antique machinery, and limited egress — will be difficult to retrofit for large public gatherings without costly upgrades such as sprinklers and accessibility improvements. Commissioner 7 recommended emphasizing the surrounding site as part of the visitor experience: use the adjacent acreage for outdoor programming, parking upgrades, lighting and restrooms, and keep the building as a preserved, static exhibit if full museum conversion proves impractical.
“Rather than trying to impose a modern usage on an old building, which is simply not equipped to handle guests of more than just a few, I believe we should finish preserving the building as a static display and then create a community attraction on the surrounding property,” Commissioner 7 said.
Other commissioners suggested limited uses such as making the plant a recurring site for the commission’s Historic Preservation Day or offering small, guided tours while developing a plan to solicit neighborhood input about acceptable uses. Blair Davenport, chair, urged the commission to solicit input from neighbors, residents and businesses and asked staff to reconcile parcel ownership issues where parts of the site are managed by the Bureau of Reclamation.
The commission did not take any formal action on reuse at the meeting. Staff was asked to develop a community outreach plan and provide additional technical information about structural, code and accessibility constraints so the commission can evaluate options at a future meeting.
