By Kate Larsen
Camera Staff Writer

LONGMONT — About 20 protesters gathered Thursday at Johnson's Corner gas station in an effort to save the Art Deco building from demolition.

The aging building at 250 S. Main St. is set for a June 1 demolition by the city of Longmont and the Colorado Department of Transportation. State transportation officials want to reroute traffic on Colo. 119 through the site, around downtown Longmont, connecting it to the highway's existing intersection with Sugarmill Road.

Members of Historic Boulder, the nonprofit preservation society which organized the protest, say the building has architectural value and should be relocated. Others say Johnson's Corner is important because it was one of few Longmont establishments to welcome people of color in the'40s and'50s.

"This was a very innovative building, and I think the only one like it in Longmont," said Gail Gray , executive director of Historic Boulder. "It is worth saving."

Johnson's Corner was designed by architect Eugene Groves and built in 1937. According to Historic Boulder, it exemplifies a futuristic use of poured, cast and reinforced concrete that later gained popularity.

Gray said while it may not look like much now — spray paint advertising a car dealership covers the dusty structure — in its day, Johnson's corner was a gem.

Gray said she hopes Thursday's demonstration will attract attention from donors who feel the building is worth saving.

Historic Boulder's efforts to raise the money — estimated at $100,000 to $150,000 — to relocate Johnson's Corner have yielded little success.

Boulder County offered $25,000 toward the building's relocation and ordered a stay of execution on the building which expired March 29.

Nick Wolfrum, manager of the Longmont and CDOT construction project, said he offered to hold off demolition until June 1 to give Historic Boulder more time.

"Our limitation is that we have an easement to perform the work and that expires June 7," Wolfrum said.

The cost to demolish the gas station is about $70,000, Wolfrum said.

Historic Boulder members would like to see that money go toward the relocation of Johnson's Corner.

"My math says if we use that $70,000 and the Boulder County money that's pretty close to $100,000," said Douglas Johnson, president-elect of Historic Boulder. "Everyone who has an interest needs to get together to talk about this."

For more information, contact Margaret Hansen at (303) 443-7659. Contact reporter Kate Larsen at larsenk@thedailycamera.com or (303) 473-1361.

May 24, 2002

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