Proposed Civic Area Historic District

The proposed boundary extended generally from the west property boundary of the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building (1777 Broadway) to 14th Street and from Canyon Boulevard to Arapahoe Avenue. It includes Central Park and five city-owned landmarks.

Visit our new interactive StoryMap to learn more about the layers of history of the Civic Area.

• Downtown Boulder Civic Area History StoryMap

• In 2021 the Landmarks Board initiated the designation process to expand the landmark boundary of the Glen Huntington Bandshell following a request from the local advocacy group Friends of the Bandshell. In 2022 a motion during a City Council public hearing to expand the boundary failed, but council gave staff direction to “have Landmarks staff investigate and explore the creation of a downtown area historic district that would include this area, saying they would work with the Landmarks Board and Parks Board moving forward.” Watch the recorded meeting.
• In 2023 Planning and Development Services and Parks and Recreation staff began work to consider a historic district, including the development of a Cultural Landscape Assessment (CLA). In May, three advocacy groups, Historic Boulder, Inc., Friends of the Bandshell and Friends of the Teahouse submitted a historic district application and in July the Landmarks Board voted to initiate the designation process. Planning and Development Services staff and the applicants met and agreed upon a 90-day extension.
• On April 11, 2024, City Council voted against designation of the proposed historic district in a seven to one vote.