Historic Preservation Board approves First Lutheran Church entryway addition

The Colorado Springs Historic Preservation Board voted unanimously on May 5 to approve a report of acceptability for a new entryway (narthex) at First Lutheran Church, 1515 North Cascade Ave.

Staff told the board the proposed front entry addition — described in staff slides as about 2,795 square feet (staff later summarized it as roughly 2,800 sq ft) — sits on a mid‑century modern church identified in the North End Historic District as a noncontributing intrusion. Staff said the addition meets the North End design standards and recommended approval while noting exterior materials, windows (including stained glass), and scale as points of focus.

The addition will create a single, primary entrance and internal circulation space (narthex) without expanding sanctuary seating. The applicant’s representative, Bruce, told the board the sanctuary’s capacity will not increase: "We're not adding seats or occupancy to the sanctuary." He said the project is intended to improve circulation, provide code‑compliant stairs and elevator access, and present a design that complements the original 1966 building.

Neighbors at the meeting asked about construction timing, parking and the bell tower. A resident who identified herself as Sheila McGuill said she learned of the project from mailed notices: "We didn't even know this was happening till we got the thing in the mail." Bruce said the church plans to preserve existing parking spaces during construction and estimated a construction timeline of about 10–12 months, up to 14 months in an outside scenario, with work anticipated to start in the fall and a contractor already selected.

The addition will project roughly 29–30 feet toward Cascade but is designed to retain about 34 feet of grassy landscape, the applicant said. The proposal will remove the existing bell tower because the tower’s location conflicted with the addition; the applicant said structural preservation of that tower was not practical and that rebuilding or reinterpreting the tower was a separate branding decision for the congregation.

A board member moved to approve the staff report of acceptability under the code review criteria referenced by staff (city code section 7.5.0.528); another member seconded. The clerk conducted a roll call and the motion passed unanimously.

Under the City Unified Development Code — cited at the meeting — an affected party may appeal the board’s action to the City Council within 10 days of final action (staff read the appeal deadline as Friday, 05/15/2026) and must file a notice of appeal and pay a $176 fee with the city clerk; appeal letters should cite the specific code requirements the appellant believes were not adequately addressed. The board adjourned after moving the meeting’s scheduled presentations to a later date.

The board’s approval is a report of acceptability, not a building permit; building permits, final construction drawings and any necessary permits remain subject to city review and separate processes.