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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.hpc.19921014HI~ORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes of October 14, 1992 Meeting was called to order by Les Holst with Linda Smisek, Karen Day, Roger Moyer and Jake Vickery present. Bill Poss, Don Erdman, Joe Krabacher and Martha Madsen were excused. MOTION: Roger made the motion to approve the minutes of August 26, Sept. 23rd and Sept. 9, 1992; second by Linda. All in favor, motion carries. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Les: Having been gone I wanted to thank the Committee for their decision on the Thalberg house. 435 W. HAIN STREET - SWISS CHALET Kim Johnson, Planner: The proposal is to replace the facade windows of nine of the ten cabins. Also included in the application are new chimney caps. They also intend to repaint the structures. The cabins have been previously painted. Staff has concern about the proposed window changes not meeting standard number one which is finding that they significantly alter the character of the individual units. Dave Gibson, architect: In the memo it states that this small scale friendly lodge contributes to the ambiance of Aspen. Fortunately, it has found a new owner that wants to keep the cabins. Where the memo states that the swiss cabins are being changed to victorian I would have to take a little different departure. The only thing that makes these cabins swiss are a few dabs of blue paint. Once you take those away I feel they fit in a western resort cabin tradition. Very vernacular that came up during the first part of the century and there are numerous examples of it throughout the area; Woods lake, C lazy U, Frying Pan Anglers cabins, Elk Run Lodge and T lazy 7 guest ranch, all exemplify architecture that I feel this project fits into. Native stone work, heavy shakes, roof sawn siding and the exposed rafter tails together with a steeper pitched roof mark what I would call a western resort cabin. The T Lazy 7 guest ranch is very similar with the steep roof lines. They have small windows and also have larger windows. We would like to build on this tradition and enhance the cabins. We are proposing the small pane windows but larger windows and the interior of the roof will come out so that you have more head room on the interior which will make the cabins more amenable. We will keep the exposed rafter tails, rough sawn siding and will add a chimney cap. We are preserving what is best about the cabins and also enhancing them. The north elevation is the only elevation getting this treatment, the other elevations will remain as is. Les: Is there a proposal for the main lodge? Historic Preservation Committee Minutes of October 14, 1992 David: The owner desire to live there for a period of time then decide on a growth management application. Roger: They could move the cabins toward the street. Les: They could also build an office building on the open space. Kim: This is not an historic landmark. Jake: But it is in the overlay district. Linda: Would you loose the fireplaces if you moved the buildings? David: The way that I understand it, if you move a building one foot it has to come completely up to code. Roger: You could have a gas fireplace. David: We do not know the owners long term plans at this point. Jake: Are you removing the exterior? And are you keeping the shutters? David: No, only the interior and redoing it for more head height. We consider the shutters too picturesque. Roger: If you use the lower design the shutters would not be applicable on the lower window. David: The cabins were built in the 50's. The windows have no insulation. Les: Will the windows be true divided light or fake? David: There is a new window out that has true divided wood with glass between. On true divided you get very fat mullions and they may get bigger than what is historically on the property which is about an inch wide. With the glass one piece we can do historic sized mullions which look much better. Jake: In terms of your perspective are the windows the same width as the windows already there? David: No, there are very small windows there presently. We are still keeping elements of that scale. Jake: How do the openings relate? Historic Preservation committee Minutes of October 14, 1992 David: Width wise they are relatively close but height wise we have expanded. Commissioner Comments Jake: If you look at the window it has two vertical and one horizontal. Roger: I do not have any problems with this because it is not a swiss chalet. Jake: There is a uniqueness of these cabins with the size and scale. Roxanne relates in her memo that there are sliding windows in there now and they have a horizontal proportion. The proposal is tending to be victorian windows. Roger: .I do not feel the upper window fits in any kind of historic reference. Linda: I agree that the lower diagram (B) is more in keeping with the original design of 1952. The chimney cap is not in keeping. It needs a flatter chimney cap. I also feel if shutters could be incorporated it would be more in keeping with the early ski history and enhance the cottages. I assume the shake roof will be retained. Karen: I have stayed in these cabins when I first started coming to Aspen. They are the darkest, coldest and draftiest, least expensive and most wonderful places in town. I wondered if David considered skylights as alternatives to giving more temperature warmth and also getting more direct light since they are in the shadow of Shadow Mountain. David: We hope to triple the amount of light and raise the window up to direct the light into the interior as opposed to a horizontal window. The skylight was not a consideration. We are also insulating the buildings. Karen: I feel the lower drawing (B) depicting the proposed window is more historical and I would support it. Regarding the chimney cap I am not qualified to give you an answer. Les: The Board feels (B) illustration is more historical and I also agree with Linda that the chimney cap should be square as it is more relevant for that time period. I have no problem with the windows. Possibly Staff should look at the new true divided light window proposal to make sure they work. We have not talked about the colors but I feel they should be lightened up. What makes Aspen work is the small lodges. I also like the idea of shutters Historic Preservation Committee Minutes of October 14, 1992 on the lower windows. David: We were trying to go toward more of a European feeling. Les: Every window in Europe has shutters. Karen: On the colors what is the purpose for lightening them? David: Dark brown did not seem welcoming. We wanted to do a rich medium grayish tan. They would all be one color and the trim another color. Karen: To me part of the history of these cabins is the color. The ski architecture would be lost by making the color more contemporary. I agree with lighting them up inside though. Linda: I feel if they were lightened up to a medium brown that might be appropriate. Normally a cabin is build out of white wood and then it darkens and ages with time. A natural brown would be acceptable. Les: We cannot dictate color but working with the monitor on the color would be the way to go. Roger: It is almost getting too late to paint; if the paint freezes at night it will fall off. David: We are certainly going to try to get it painted soon. Jake: Serving on this board I try to encourage the architect to key off of what is going on in the buildings and stay loyal to that. That is the general principle that I am trying to apply. As a suggestion rather than keeping the lower window possibly you could take the existing height of the windows that are there now and have an off-set kind of situation in which the lower pane is larger and the upper pane the same size as the existing, that starts to utilize the window that is already there in the new design which is consistent with what is going on. I do not know what you would do with the upper window as I know you need light. The chimney cap should look like it is added on and not something that sits on the top lightly. Les: We would like the applicant to restudy the shutters in order to keep some of the character of the cabin. MOTION: Roger made the motion that HPC grant minor development approval at 435 W. Main with the following conditions: One, that shutters be restudied; the cap on the chimney be restudied; that the applicant work with the Project Monitor and Staff to finalize 4 Historic Preservation Committee Minutes of October 14v 1992 both criteria. Staff and Monitor should review the new wood divided light windows that are proposed. "The Board approves of plan B as submitted 10-14-92 ; second by Linda. All in favor, motion carries. Karen Day is monitor of the project. MOTION: Roger made the motion to adjourn; in favor, motion carries. second by Karen. Ail Meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk