Standard Examiner Editorial: OUR VIEW: Raise 25th Street Height Limits

The historical designation of 25th Street needs to be diligently guarded, no matter what the 25th Street Business Association and the SE editorial board say

By Dorrene Jeske
Ogden City Council Member, 2006-10

Yesterdays Standard-Examiner editorial, “Raise 25th Street height limits” shows how presumptuous and ignorant the SE editorial board is. Grondahl’s cartoon shows how insensitive and ignorant he is of Ogden’s Historic District. Apparently he doesn’t appreciate history or historical buildings, (He should visit colonial sites along the east coast or Europe and it’s centuries-old buildings.) He sounds like Mayor Godfrey when asked what would happen to the recreation center if it wasn’t a success, “In twenty years it will be torn down and something else built.” What a waste! How does anyone get ahead with an attitude like that? How does a city address it’s capitol improvement needs when they are continually making bond payments? MY generation could hardly wait to pay off their mortgages and free up money for their children’s education and missions.

I take issue with some of the Editorial Board’s statements. One of the statements being “frankly, we think they’re (the 25th Street Business Association) “the experts on this matter.” They were talking about buildings meeting the criteria for historical designation. What an asinine statement! The 25th Street Business Association is exactly what they state they are – business people! Their main purpose is to realize a profit on their investment. Usually guidelines by the National Historical Association require strict adherence to using certain building and remodeling materials, staying within the architectural styles of the building, etc. And usually these requirements are more expensive than materials and components found on the market now. Does the editorial board really think that most of these businessmen will follow the guidelines of the Historical Association of their own free will? I hope that Council members will seek the advice of Kirk Huffaker of the Utah Heritage Foundation, as I did during discussions regarding the Windsor Hotel. He is the REAL historical expert with the degrees to prove it.

We saw what happened with the old Windsor Hotel. The owners were businessmen from California and didn’t give a damn if their plans met the strict guidelines for maintaining the historical designation of the hotel or not. Their plans did NOT! They planned to build a penthouse with an all glass front wall. It looked ridiculous and so out of place on top of the old hotel.

I can see the advantageous of adding an additional floor to the old buildings on Historic 25th Street, but some control by the Council and Ogden City Business Development Department need to maintain the right of design approval to make sure that it is congruent with the design of the building. The Landmarks Commission should also have input on decisions, but with the way the Planning Department was able to manipulate them by not giving them all the documentation and guidelines published by the National Historical Association when the Windsor Hotel was asking for approval, casts doubt on the integrity of both the Commission and the Planning Department.

It’s sad that the past history of dealings with the Ogden City Administration under Matt Godfrey’s reign leaves the citizens of Ogden and perhaps some Council members feeling uneasy about the administration’s ability to make ethical decisions. We do have two new directors so we can hope that they aren’t tainted.

Ogden has a jewel in the historical designation of 25th Street! Besides being unique, it also receives federal funds for the maintenance and preservation of the buildings. Those funds can easily be lost if Ogden were to lose the historical designation. That designation needs to be diligently guarded, no matter what the 25th Street Business Association and the SE editorial board say.

We are well aware that anyone who does not go along with the Mayor and the SE are called “naysayers.” It’s easy and childish to use name calling to intimidate others and it should be considered with a grain of salt and consideration given to the author/s and their point of view. Especially when they don’t have the facts or know of which they speak.