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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo.333 W Main St Page 1 of 3 427 Rio Grande Place, Aspen, CO 81611 | cityofaspen.com Memorandum TO: Aspen Historic Preservation Commission FROM: Amy Simon, Planning Director MEETING DATE: February 22, 2023 RE: 333 W. Main Street– Minor Development Review PUBLIC HEARING APPLICANT /OWNER: Herron Condominium Association REPRESENTATIVE: Suzannah Reid, Reid Architects LOCATION: Street Address: 333 W. Main Street Legal Description: Herron Condominiums, City and Townsite of Aspen, Colorado Parcel Identification Number:2735-124-52-801, Herron Condominium Association common element CURRENT ZONING & USE MU, Mixed Use Multi-family residential PROPOSED ZONING & USE: No change SUMMARY: The applicant requests approval for Minor Development to add a permanent supplemental handrail to the front entry steps of the subject historic structure. This building, the 1892 Finley Residence, is one of the more grand Victorian era homes remaining in Aspen and was divided into apartments many years ago. Staff permitted a temporary railing to be installed in 2019, to assist a resident who needed help entering the building. It was understood that the railing would eventually have to be removed, or a better solution approved by HPC. Repairs to the stair structure, risers and treads, which have been rebuilt in the past, are also anticipated. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff supports the project and recommends approval as proposed. Site Locator Map – 333 W. Main 333 Page 2 of 3 427 Rio Grande Place, Aspen, CO 81611 | cityofaspen.com BACKGROUND: 333 W. Main is a roughly 5,000 square foot lot containing a Victorian mansion and carriage house. The historic resource maintains a high level of architectural integrity on the street and side facades. A non-historic addition is visible at the rear of the building. Below left is a historic photograph of the home, and below right is an image from 2015. REQUEST OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION (HPC): The Applicant is requesting the following approval: • Minor Development (Section 26.415.070.C) to add a handrail mid-span of the historic front steps and to repair the stair treads and risers, which are non -historic material, as needed. The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is the final review authority. The scope of this application is not subject to Notice of Call-Up at City Council. STAFF REVIEW: According to Section 26.415.070.C.3 of the Aspen Municipal Code, the procedures for the review of minor development projects are as follows: b) Staff shall review the submittal material and prepare a report that analyzes the project's conformance with the design guidelines and other applicable Land Use Code sections. This report will be transmitted to the HPC with relevant information on the proposed project and a recommendation to approve, disapprove or approve with conditions and the reasons for the recommendation. The HPC will review the application, the report and the evidence Page 3 of 3 427 Rio Grande Place, Aspen, CO 81611 | cityofaspen.com presented at the hearing to determine the project's conformance with the City Historic Preservation Design Guidelines. c) The HPC shall approve, disapprove, approve with conditions or continue the application to obtain additional information necessary to make a decision to approve or deny. If the application is approved, the HPC shall issue a certificate of appropriateness and the Community Development Director shall issue a development order. The project is a very small scope of work, however given the alteration to a character defining feature at the front of the property, staff determined that a decision by the Historic Preservation Commission would be necessary to proceed. The relevant historic preservation design guidelines are: Staff finds that the design guidelines are met. The new handrail does not destroy original features. It alters the stair, but has been designed to be minimal and elegantly detailed so as to support, not detract from the original design. As noted in the application, the stairs themselves have been rebuilt in the past and need in-kind repair again. This can be done without impacting historic fabric. It appears that the stair is open below the stringer. Historically, this space was likely enclosed, as noted by the applicant. Staff recommends a solid material be installed where indicated with the red arrow. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) approve this application as proposed, with the addition of enclosing the underside of the stair. ATTACHMENTS: Resolution #____, Series of 2023 Exhibit A – Application 5.5 If new steps are to be added, construct them out of the same primary materials u sed on the original, and design them to be in scale with the porch or balcony • Steps should be located in the original location. • Step width should relate to the scale of entry doors, spacing between posts, depth of deck, etc. • Brick, red sandstone, grey concrete, or wood are appropriate materials for steps. 5.6 Avoid adding handrails or guardrails where they did not exist historically, particularly where visible from the street. • If handrails or guardrails are needed according to building code, keep thei r design simple in character and different from the historic detailing on the porch or balcony.