History may give way to parking

A proposal to turn a block of Boulder City's Park Street and a portion of a city park into a parking lot has some town residents up in arms.

The federal Bureau of Reclamation has proposed using the stretch of street in Boulder City's Historic District as a parking area to accommodate a consolidation of offices at the agency's central building on Park Street.

The bureau built Hoover Dam, completing construction in 1935, and still administers the dam. The bureau also built most of the city's original buildings, used to house, entertain and feed the Hoover Dam construction workers.

The bureau's central office, its regional headquarters, was the most important building in Boulder City when it was completed in 1932, and many bureau employees still work there. It overlooks the core of the city's downtown triangle, including Park Street and Wilbur Park.

The building was placed within Boulder City's Historic District in 1985.

Bill Manning, the bureau's director of management services, said the agency needs to consolidate its work force into one central location. That will create parking problems, he said.

About 100 employees now work in the central office building. About 165 more would move into the building if consolidation plans pan out, he said.

The proposal has prompted harsh criticism from some city residents.

"That is the very last untouched historic spot in Boulder City and that spot is the center of the old town," said Dennis McBride, collections specialist for the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum. "It's one of the most beautiful areas, probably the most beautiful area, downtown."

He called Wilbur Park, which also could be affected by the bureau consolidation, "a beautiful green open space." The park, he noted, is home to many special events, including the city's annual Art in the Park festival.

The proposal "is really a direct attack and destruction of Boulder City's historic area."

The perspectives leading through the park and to the bureau building were deliberately planned, said McBride, who was proclaimed the city's "Official Historian" in 1995.

"This is the apex, this is the reason for there being a historic district," agreed Mimi Rodden, a resident who lives within the historic district in a home overlooking the park.

"To simply pave it over and make it a parking lot for all these employees is simply not acceptable," Rodden said.

Rodden also was chairman of a city committee that drafted an ordinance to help protect the historical character of buildings in the historic district.

The committee turned in the ordinance two years ago, but the city hasn't yet acted on the ordinance. Rodden said the lack of the ordinance is one reason why the historical character of the city is endangered.

Manning said much of the criticism is premature. He said the Park Street proposal is only one option. The bureau also is looking at building a parking garage behind the regional office.

"These are simply proposals," Manning said.

He said the agency doesn't have a firm timeline for the consolidation, but "it is desirable."

Boulder City Mayor Robert Ferraro said he doesn't believe the bureau's Park Street proposal will come to fruition. The city, which controls both Park Street and Wilbur Park, would have to agree to the proposal, he said.

"Since the idea first floated, there's been a tremendous amount of public comment," Ferraro said.

While pointing out that the bureau's proposal is preliminary and is likely to change, the five-term mayor said he cannot support the plan.

Ferraro, city employees, a representative of Nevada's Office of Historic Preservation and residents concerned about the proposal are scheduled to meet today at City Hall.

Ferraro said it is likely to be a contentious meeting.

McBride agreed.

"It's shaping up to be real ugly," he said.

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