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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.hpc.20150708ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF JULY 8, 2015 1 Chairperson, Willis Pember called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Commissioners in attendance were Nora Berko, Jim DeFrancia, Bob Blaich, John Whipple, Gretchen Greenwood and Patrick Sagal. Sallie Golden was absent. Staff present: Debbie Quinn, Assistant City Attorney Amy Simon, Preservation Planner Sarah Rosenberg, Planner Kathy Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk MOTION: Bob moved to approve the minutes of May 27th and June 10th; second by Willis. All in favor, motion carried. 1280 Ute Avenue #34 – Minor Development, Public Hearing Debbie said the applicant indicated that they did the posting and mailings. Only the posting was required. Exhibit I Sarah said the request is to turn the explosive shed also known as Powder House 34 into an office space and add two windows on the west side of the structure. They will bring electrical and natural gas services to the site. They are also proposing a small ramp to bring the building up to code. The applicant plans on maintaining the original walls and roof, floor and existing door. The proposed new office requires 1/3 of a parking space but because it is on the Benedict office complex the site adequately fulfills the parking requirements. The shed is a 336 square foot masonry structure but in 1976. It is a designated landmark with one door on the east side and no other openings. Historically the structure was used as an explosive shed for the surrounding mining operation. There were two instances in which the shed collapsed. The second collapsed was in 1897 and two new sheds were erected with thick brick walls on a solid stone foundation. These still exist today. Staff is supportive about the adaptive reuse as it has been used for storage and vacant and deteriorating. Staff and monitor can review vegetation, mechanical, venting, light fixtures and s ignage. The applicant has provided a ramp solution to the front door which has been supported by the building department. The issue that concern staff are the windows. The applicant is proposing two steel frame warehouse style windows on the west wall which is the rear wall of the structure. They would face the pedestrian ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF JULY 8, 2015 2 bike path. Staff finds that the location etc. negatively impacts the integrity of the structure and significantly alters a solid wall that clearly reads as a utilitarian building. The windows do not meet guideline 3.2 and 3.3. Staff understands the design to add natural light to the space. Staff proposes a vertical window on the north side which has less of an impact on the character defining features and less visible from the public. On the roof there are three small skylights that are not historic. In order to bring in more natural daylight staff recommends enlarging the skylights. Staff recommends continuation to study the window placement style and size. Sarah said she sent HPC a drawing that was submitted to the Building Dept. and the specs of the windows. The proposed steel windows do not fit the Victorian era. Debbie said the clerk’s office will need copies of those for the record, Exhibit II Amy said the Hydro-electric plant, city shop are industrial buildings. They have wooden double hung windows. Pete McBride, owner Kate and Matt Holstein, owners Pete said he has never seen the building used except for partial storage. Our hope is to retrofit the building and everything presented here has been approved by the Benedict HOA. They would approve either the north or west side for the windows. We just mimicked the windows from the Benedict building which is a vertical window. We prefer the west side of the building because they can make a nice balance of light with the central entrance. We would have two working stations inside. Matt said the north side has a slanted roof and the windows looks odd and don’t fit in as well. Kate said with the north window the inside would be “cave like”. Pete said we could enlarge the skylights but they would only be used for six months because the roof pitch is too shallow and there is a lot of snow pile up. We are also proposing a natural gas pot belly heat system which is ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF JULY 8, 2015 3 supported with an electric baseboard. We intend to do a blow in insulation in the ceiling. The brick is three layers thick. We would also insulate the floor under the wide planks. Matt said there is a vent on the roof for the natural gas. Amy pointed out that the skylights are in conjunction with the north wall window. If the west wall windows are approved we would not support the skylights. Bob said the skylights are very tiny and you would have to add structural beams etc. if they were enlarged. Matt said the windows on the west would be metal to match the door and we would mimic the Benedict building and we would incorporate timbers for the headers. There is a metal roof that is sufficient. The skylights are caulked well as is. We want to keep the building looking historic. Chairperson, Willis Pember opened the public hearing. Ben Dodge, HOA president The HOA had a series of meetings and site visits and one of our issues was the location of the windows. It was a clear consensus that we prefer the windows be placed on the west side. This requires a condo change from storage to an office. Attention to the building will maintain the intent and characteristics of the building. It has been declining over time. Amy said the new office space will be exempt from affordable housing because it is a landmark. The entire lot is designated historic. Neil Beidleman, neighbor All the owners were thrilled when the applicants decided to purchase this property and had a vision of an office space. The only other option would be some construction or service provider company. We are also in favor of the west windows. The north side window would make it very much like a fish bowl. The west side wall also has a cool painting and to balance it having the two windows makes sense. Letters entered into the record Exhibit III Ben Dodge ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF JULY 8, 2015 4 Public Council of the Rockies Mary and Hugh Wise Theresa Salvador Powder house Condominium Chairperson, Willis Pember closed the public comment portion of the hearing. Issues: Windows on the north or west Skylights recommended by staff if the windows are on the north. Vent to the roof GMQS Removal of trees Willis said the trees for removal are on the public right-of-way. John said some of the trees are less than six inch in diameter and can be removed without the Parks Dept. permission. Willis said he understands where staff is coming from because the historical character of the building depends on not having any windows. Adding windows decreases the quality of the history. Maybe the applicant could maximize daylight without a penetrable image to the building. Jim said in its historic condition it is really dysfunctional . You preserve the essence of the building not with-standing the addition of the windows. Bob said he wouldn’t want it reverted to a powder house. Nora asked if we can get light without the windows. Patrick said he agrees with staff’s recommendation. Windows on the west destroy the preservation of the building as a powder building. Once heat is added the skylights will absorb moisture and they should be taken out. Gretchen said you lose a lot of heat with skylights and maybe they should be removed. The windows on the side should not be heavy. ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF JULY 8, 2015 5 MOTION: Jim moved to approve resolution #22 for 1280 Ute Ave, powder house and that the windows be placed on the west side and the final placement and details be approved by monitor and staff and largely follow the proposal as presented by the applicant. Motion second by Bob. Friendly amendment: Willis made the motion that none of the historic graphics are to be modified in anyway at this time. Photo documentation of the signs needs to occur. Jim accepted the amendment and Bob second it. Amy asked about the signs as to whether than can be restored or painted. Pete said they will leave them the way they are until they need touched up. Willis said two out of three are legible and the third one is not. Roll call vote: Nora, yes; Jim, yes; Bob, yes; Gretchen, yes; John, yes; Willis, no; Patrick, no. Motion carried 5-2. Gretchen is the monitor. 110 E. Bleeker Street – Final Major Development, Public Hearing cont’d from June 10th Kim Raymond, architect Amy said the building is one block from the Yellow Brick School. They intend to restore the original building and fence and add an addition to the back. There would be a one story connector. At conceptual HPC approved the 500 square foot bonus, side yard variances etc. There were several conditions. The form of the addition was approved at conceptual to the back of the property. The one architectural concern is the fenestration on the south façade of the addition particularly the upper floor. There is a master bedroom in that area. At conceptual they saw a deck with French doors opening onto it and a dormer above. Staff recommended restudy because it feels like it is out of character and overwhelming. We are suggesting fewer sliding glass doors or the dormer eliminated or in some way that it relates to the solid to void of the historic house. That would be a condition of approval. Staff is also asking for a restudy of the perennial bed wrapping ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF JULY 8, 2015 6 around the historic house. The house is not being lifted and the historic foundation is being preserved and should not have a lot of moisture around it. We are asking for a more detailed drawing of the fence and all components of the fence should be wood. We also need cut sheets of th e windows for appropriate sizes and they are asking for the typical three year vesting. Kim said they plan to restore the front and restore the fence and windows. There is a large pine tree that will hide the addition. On the south elevation we could take off the two side lights and keep the dormer and have a plain door in the center. We are proposing a skylight on the south elevation roof above the flat dormer. On the landscape plan we can let the grass come up to the edge of the building and we can work with the monitor on that. On the addition we are using four inch wood siding and staining it natural. We have eliminated the dormers on the north side of the addition on the back. Nora said at the last meeting we discussed keeping the north dormers and removing the dormers on the south. Kim said she misunderstood that the south dormers were to be eliminated. The south side is where we want more light. Chairperson, Willis Pember opened the public hearing. There were no public comments. The public comment portion of the agenda item was closed. Willis identified the issues: Dormers option A or B No restudy of the upper section of the south elevation Landscape plan Gretchen said she is not in favor of the dormers because it lifts the visual roof line of this building up to a very heavy fascia. At final we need to see the fascia details. The addition is overpowering the resource. The non- orthogonal window should be removed and doesn’t have a relationship to anything on the existing building. On the historic building the windows have meaning and that should occur on the addition. Willis said he is underwhelmed with the fenestration in general. ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES OF JULY 8, 2015 7 Nora said there is so much glass there on the south that you barely notice the Victorian. Willis said there are two dormers on the south elevation. John asked about the deck over the connector. Amy said in this instance it is hidden. We are inconsistent about decks. Kim said she can take off the dormers on the south side of the addition. Willis said he is having a hard time approving the fenestration and the non- orthogonal windows on the east and west. It is not just the dormers it is the sliding doors as well. MOTION: Jim moved to continue 110 E. Bleeker until June 22nd; second by Willis. All in favor, motion carried. Eliminate dormers on the south Study fascia Thinner window door system East/West non-orthogonal windows Window placements and the French doors MOTION: Jim moved to adjourn; secondo by Bob. All in favor, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk