Parkside Historic District Preservation

The Historic Uptown Neighborhood Association obtained a local Historic Preservation Overlay designation for 16 properties in the Parkside Historic District. Owner and property participation was voluntary.

Learn More About Historic Preservation Overlays

Select the frame in the top right corner of the map to explore the properties. Once the larger map is opened, you can select each property’s pin to view more information about it.

Establishing the Historical Significance

There are several reasons we are interested in obtaining a historic overlay for the Parkside District. A couple of properties in the Parkside District are included in the national register of historic places, including the Hagerman Mansion, and the Gwynne-Love House.

Also, in the Parkside District sits Monument Valley Park. Monument Valley Park, a central space for our community gifted to the city by General William Palmer in 1907, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties. The pavilion by the swimming pool and the bathhouse are considered historic structures. The Caretaker’s cottage by the pond is the oldest historic structure in the park. Built in 1904, it was used as Palmer’s Construction office while creating the park. Tahama Springs Pavillion, further south, is the only natural spring in Colorado Springs.

The buildings still retain their architectural integrity, meaning they have not been significantly altered since they were built. Each home in the neighborhood has a unique history and architectural style. Initial owners and builders involved with the development of the neighborhood were significant in Colorado Springs’ history.

Visit the Historic Buildings in the Parkside District neighborhood by following the Historic Uptown Neighborhood Walking Tour (stops 5-14).

There are reasons why Parkside District neighbors may be interested in a historic designation. Firstly, the property will be eligible for Colorado income tax credits for rehabilitation work. Next, this designation can collectively help to maintain the beautiful and historic character of the neighborhood, which could potentially enhance the property value.

PlanCOS Historic Preservation

The City of Colorado Springs recently adopted a comprehensive plan called PlanCOS that announces that our historic legacy is a key foundation of the city’s strong cultural heritage. Within Chapter Six: Renowned Culture our historical roots are explored to include the mining industry, railroad expansion, early health and educational institutions, faith-based organizations, and our deep association with the military.

In like manner, the City adopted a historic preservation plan called HistoricCOS which says the City also can designate larger geographical areas through the creation of historic overlays and districts.

Thus, we are pursuing a historic overlay by following the process in the HistoricCOS plan.

Historic Preservation Overlay Timeline

The Historic Uptown Preservation Board will pursue Local Historic Preservation Overlay designations starting with the Parkside District. Follow our progress.

2022 & 2023

Step 1: Prepare documents needed for a Historic Preservation Overlay (HP-O) designation.

Status: Completed
2023

Step 2: Create the Historic Uptown Preservation web pages including a web page for each Parkside District property containing a historic timeline.

Status: Completed
February 2024

Step 3: Contact property owners to notify them of Historic Uptown’s efforts to obtain a Historic Preservation Overlay District and conduct meetings with property owners, the Historic Uptown Preservation Board, and preservation experts. Participation in the overlay is voluntary.

Cheryl, the President of Historic Uptown’s Board and Tim Scanlon (our advisor), completed distributing packets to Parkside District homeowners. 7 were hand delivered, 5 were mailed, 10 were emailed, and 3 were given to a neighbor to forward.

Status: Completed
March 4, 2024

Step 4: Contact the Historic Preservation Board and Colorado Springs City Planner in charge of Historic Preservation to schedule a meeting on the Parkside District and begin discussions.

The Historic Uptown Board’s President, Cheryl, emailed a letter to the Colorado Springs Historic Preservation Board and Bill Gray.

We met with the Historic Preservation Board on March 4, 2024. Bill Gray requested the HPB not take action at the current time and for the neighborhood to proceed with a pre-application meeting.

Status: Completed
2024

Step 5: Proceed with the steps outlined in Applying for A Historic Preservation Overlay

Status: Completed
April 18, 2024

Step 6: Pre-application meeting with Bill Gray

Met with City Planning, Bill Gray, on April 18, 2024. He requested we apply for an HP-O rezone for individual properties.

Status: Completed
May 23-24 2024

Step 7: Initial meeting with Council members.

We had meetings with Dave D, Michelle T, and Nancy H on May 23-24, 2024 to introduce the proposed Parkside Historic District. Dave D and Nancy H are on the HPB board and Michelle T is our District 3 representative.

Status: Completed
June 7, 2024 and August 18, 2024

Step 8: Submitted an initial application to Bill Gray on June 7th, 2024 for an HP-O zone change. We integrated Bill’s feedback and submitted an updated/final application on August 18th, 2024.

We requested a zone change fee waiver and City Initiation of a Historic Preservation Overlay District to include the remaining properties that did not respond to our emails and letters.

There are 26 properties in the proposed Parkside Historic District.
- 2 properties are already historically designated.
- 14 property owners agreed to the HP-O zone change.
- 1 property owner did not agree to the HP-O zone change.
- 9 property owners did not respond to our initial letter.
The City did not allow the Historic Preservation Board to consider initiating a Parkside District zone change to include all 23 properties, so we are moving forward with the 14 properties whose owners agreed. We are hopeful the remaining 9 property owners who did not respond to our initial letter would choose to be added to the HP-O zone change application.

Status: Completed
August 18, 2024 – September 17, 2024

Step 9: The initial Planning review of the application will be complete by September 17, 2024.

The City mailed postcards to all property owners within 1,000 feet.

Tim and Cheryl installed posters on 8/31/2024 at 7 designated locations in the Parkside District.

Status: Completed
February 3, 2025

Step 10: Historic Preservation Board Public Hearing Notice & Meeting

The planning department is sending a postcard for an item Parkside Historic Preservation Overlay District that is going to the Historic Preservation Board on 2/3/25. The project is located on multiple parcels that extend into two different HOA entities and Neighborhood Associations, the Historic Uptown Neighborhood Association and the Downtown Partnership (DDA).

ZONE-24-0018_Parkside Historic Postcards 2.3.25 BG Download

Status: Completed
April 9, 2025

Step 10: Historic Preservation Board Public Hearing Notice & Meeting

The planning department is sending a postcard for an item Parkside Historic Preservation Overlay District that is going to the Historic Preservation Board on 4/9/25. The project is located on multiple parcels that extend into two different HOA entities and Neighborhood Associations, the Historic Uptown Neighborhood Association and the Downtown Partnership (DDA).

Comments are due by April 8, 2025 to William Gray whose email is William.Gray@coloradosprings.gov. You can attend the planning meeting on April 9, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. at 2880 International Circle, Hearing Room, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 or virtually on SpringsTV.

Parkside Historic Overlay District-Postcard CPC 4.9.25 Download

Status: Completed
April 16, 2025

The Gazette wrote an article titled Homes in historic Colorado Springs neighborhood push to receive official designation from city!
May 27, 2025

Step 11: Ordinance Approval

City Council voted to approve the ordinance (more details):

Ordinance No.25-54 amending the zoning map of the City of Colorado Springs to establish a HP-O (Historic Preservation Overlay) pertaining to 4.15 acres located west of North Cascade Avenue and east of Monument Valley Park between West Dale Street on the North and St Vrain Street on the south and to be known as the Parkside Historic District. (Quasi-Judicial) (Second Reading and Public Hearing) Presenter: William Gray, Senior Planner, City Planning Department Kevin Walker, Director, City Planning Department.

Parkside District Signed Ordinance No. 25-54 Download

Status: Completed
June 29, 2025

Step 12: Celebrate

Status: Completed
October 15, 2025

Step 13: Awards

On October 15, 2025, the Historic Preservation Alliance presented the Historic Uptown Neighborhood Association with an award for our efforts in preserving the Parkside Neighborhood with a Historic Preservation Overlay. Learn more on the HPA website.

Status: Completed

Property Research

Historic Uptown has gathered research for the properties in the Parkside District. Each property has its own page. If you have anything about the properties that you would like to share, contact us!