Santa Fe has been my home for thirty five years. I first fell in love—and always will be—with the breathtaking mountain views, the rich cultural heritage and, most important to me, the city’s historic architecture. The unique multicultural texture of Santa Fe—mixing Spanish, Indian and Anglo heritages—has produced historic neighborhoods that are visually exhilarating. Often their beauty is in the details--vigas, corbels, portales, deep-set windows, brightly-colored doors—but it’s also found in the simple but dramatic juxtaposition of homes on a winding street. There is always something new to discover with the changing light and seasons.
I live on a dirt lane in the heart of the east side, one of Santa Fe’s oldest historic districts. My home was originally the guest house to a larger estate. It was built in the eighties and when I purchased it, there was little character. It did, however, enjoy a fabulous location, not just for its convenience to downtown, but because it was surrounded by towering cottonwoods within a neighborhood of thick walled adobe homes. The before and after photos tell the story of the remodel of my home.
With the dwindling inventory of building lots in Santa Fe, buying and remodeling an existing home in one of Santa Fe’s five historic districts is an attractive alternative. These districts include the Downtown and Eastside Historic District, Historic Review District (an area in the southeast quadrant including Museum Hill and Camino de la Cruz Blanca), Historic Transition District (very small area near the Railyard), Don Gaspar Area Historic District, and Westside-Guadalupe Historic District. The five historic districts are governed by an ordinance that carefully addresses new construction and demolition, changes to the exterior of a structure, height, walls, and historic designation.
If you’re inclined as I was to take the plunge and invest in a historic remodel, here are some strategic points to take into account:
1. Is your home in one of Santa Fe’s historic districts, and if so which one? Each of the districts has different rules that must be followed when making exterior alterations to the property. The most stringent is the Downtown Eastside.
2. Is your home listed as a “contributing” or “significant” building? Every structure in the historic districts has been inventoried and designated non-contributing, contributing, and significant.
A significant structure is at least 50 years old, embodies distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction, and retains a high level of historic integrity. A contributing structure—a less stringent category—is recognized by the city as helping to establish and maintain the character of the Historic District.
If your building is either significant or contributing, the scope of your exterior renovations and additions will be limited. For example, historic fabric such as windows must be restored and not replaced. WHAT ELSE BESIDES WINDOWS?
3. If your home is currently listed as non contributing, the city staff may believe it is eligible because of age to be upgraded to contributing or significant. Staff will bring this as an action item to the Historic Design Review Board. If your home is upgraded by the Board your renovation may be eligible for tax credits. However, your plans may also be limited by the ordinance.
4. If you want to expand your home, or add a garage or portal, it is important to visit the zoning office at city hall and meet with a zoning official to determine your zoning, your current lot coverage, set backs, and the maximum allowable lot coverage. This requirement applies to all city lots, not just those in the historic districts.
5. Any exterior changes, additions, and walls within the historic districts are subject to the historic ordinance and must be submitted to the historic design review office and in many cases approved by the Historic Design Review Board before applying for a building permit. This can be a lengthy process. The best way to get started is to go to the Historic Review office on the second floor of city hall and fill out an intake form. You will be assigned a planner who will meet with you to review the application that must be completed in order to be heard by the Historic Board. The most successful applicants are those that have a well documented application and are willing to work within the ordinance. Exceptions or variances are sometimes granted under very specific conditions but often lengthen the process.
