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AGENDA
ASPEN PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
October 18, 1988 - Tuesday
4:30 P.M.
Old City Council Chambers
2nd Floor
City Hall
REGUIAR MEETING
I. COMMENTS
Commissioners
Planning Staff
II.
MINUTES
III.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Adoption of Annexation Element
B. Historic Designation of Marolt/Thomas House and
Barns
C. Displacement/Affordable Housing Code Amendments
IV. ADJOURN REGUIAR MEETING
V. WORK SESSION
A. Rio Grande Parking Facility Design Update
a.cov
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To:
From:
Re:
Date:
MEMORANDUM
Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission
Roxanne Eflin, Planning Office
Historic Landmark Designation: Holden-Marolt Barns
site/Lixiviation Ruins and the Opal Marolt House
October 18, 1988
LOCATION: Marolt-Thomas Open Space Site; Castle Creek Road and
Highway 82.
ZONING: "C" - Conservation
HISTORIC EVALUATION RATING: Barns/Ruins site: 115"
Marolt House: 114"
Note: The Holden-Marolt Barns site/Lixiviation Ruins has
been determined eligible for listing on the National
Register of Historic Places.
SUMMARY: Staff is presenting the two sites for landmark
designation in one memo as they are intimately associated with
one another historically. The original site was the Holden
Smelting and Milling Company, built in 1891 for treating silver
ore by the process of lixiviation (a leaching/separation process
which treated ore with a chemical solvent). Principal portions
of the machinery were imported from Germany. The main building
covered 12,000 sq. ft. and the plant itself had a capacity of 125
tons per day. The "barns site" include the hillside ruins of the
main plant on the banks of Castle Creek. The main "barn" served
as the sampling works building, and includes a platform loading
dock. A spur of the Midland Railroad served the smelting plant;
the drive in front of the building is the remnant of that spur.
The house served as both the office and caretakers quarters.
The two sites have been rated separately due to existing and
proposed use and historic integrity; the "barns site" will be
leased by the Aspen Historical Society for their new Ranching and
Mining Museum, slated for opening late Spring, 1989.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION: On July 11, Council moved to initiate
the process of historic landmark designation of both the Holden-
Marolt Barns/Lixiviation Ruins site and the Marolt House, and
directed Staff to begin the designation process.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE VOTE: On September 13, the HPC held a public
hearing and moved to add these two sites to the Aspen Inventory
of Historic Sites and Structures, necessary due to inadvertent
omission of these sites from the 1980 Inventory and the 1986
Inventory Update. The Historic Preservation Committee reviewed
the Standards for Landmark Designation and is recommending
designation. The HPC also has formallyendorsed rsed the As
Historical Society's efforts in developing the barns site '
"living history" museum, exhibiting items representing Into a
g mini
ranching history in Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valle ng and
sub -committee of the Society's Board of Directors • A museum
formed of which staff is serving as liason to. has been
PROBLEM DISCUSSION: The six (6) standards for historic landmark
designation are stated in Section 7-702. "Any structure or site
that meets one (1) or more of the (following) standards may be
designated as H, Historic Overlay District and/or Historic
Landmark."
Standard A. Historic Importance: The structure or site is a
principal or secondary structure or site commonly identified or
associated with a person or an event of historical significance
to the cultural, social or political historyof Aspen, g State
Of Colorado, or the United States, p the State
Response: Barns site: (c. 1891) These two outbuildings are
all that remain of the Holden Smelting and MillingCompany,
complex that included a number of support p y' a
smelter plant. The main barn has onybeen tslightly ures and the main
ltered b
on the exterior and interior. The smaller barn is a portion oth of
the original salt warehouse. . Both structures are in relatively
good condition and may survive another winter with no
significant stabilization. The Lixiviation Ruins are to remain
as they currently exist, with no effort to "clean u ".
Further study of the ruins site will be required the .
historic interpretation or other activities. Please refer to
the attached "Cultural resource Survey to
information. eY Inventory Record" for more
Marolt House: (c. 1891) This structure served as
the office and watchman's dwelling.
en
the Marolt's purchased the property in then 19b30es altered since
historical significance is due to its original associationhwevers its
the entire complex , original location and lawn settingwith
th
mature landscaping. Please refer to the attached "History
the Opal Marolt House" for specifics.
Standard B. Architectural Importance: The structure or site
reflects an architectural style that is unique, distinct or of
traditional Aspen character.
Response: The main barn, due primarily to its massive size
been a fascination for years to many Aspenites and visitors. has
is unique due to its projectin It
eave
original square cupola has been removed, however, overhang. The
no other alterations have occurred. The original fenestration pattern has
remained unaltered. The Guidelines do not specificallyadd has
barn or outbuilding styles, however, "Industrial Style" rest
Y most
2
N
i O
O
closely relates to
the main barn. The house is vernacular wood
frame a gable end one story, which has receiv
new siding. Its original styling is
stil ed a basement and
pitch, fenestration, scale and massing.1 evident in its roof
Standard C.
Architectural Importance: The structure or site
embodies the distinguishing characteristics of a si '
unique architectural type or specimen. gnlflcant or
Response: Certainly the main barn is one -of -a -kind. Its
adaptation from an industrial -oriented samplin works
with railroad loading dock into a ranch barn is structure
community and should be preserved. unique to our
Standard D. Architectural Importance:
The significant work of an architect whose individual structure is a
influenced the character of Aspen. dual work as
Response: Early newspaper re orts
construction and name contractorsp however, no the plant's
general contractor has been identified. architect 'or
s
construction, however, was extremely significant to Aspen's epla arty
history and as one report states: "The buildin early
high and the whole plant is the most complete g is five stories
Unites States", plete of the kind in the
Standard E. Neighborhood Character: The structure
significant component of an historicallysign' °r site is a
lc
and the preservation of the structure or siteant neighborhood
the maintenance of that neighborhood character, is important for
Response: The Holden-Marolt site and the Maro
outside a "neighborhood"are It House sit
found
significant in their original association to be historically
complex. n with the smelting
Standard F. Community Character:
hcha acterure or site is
community because of its relationship in terms of size the As
critical to the preservation of the
and architectural similarity to oth' location
er structures Ze historical or architectural importance, or sites of
Response: Both the barns site and the Marolt house
historic significance to the Aspen communit are of great
Roaring Fork Valley. The Holden Smelting and and the entire
il
eligible for the National Register for its association1 Complex is
mining history in Aspen, as one of the few remaining
with the
from the industrial aspects of Aspen's mining h with
because the site is likelyto history and
smelting and milling industry in Aspen if information about the
archaeological survey is conducted, d when an historical
3
RECOMMENDATION: The Planning Office recommends to
and Zoning Commission to recommend historic the Planning
Of both the Holden-Marolt Barns/Lixiviatio landmark designation
Marolt House. n Ruins site and the
memo.pz.marolt
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