HomeMy WebLinkAboutagenda.hpc.20070328
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ASPEN mSTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
Wednesday - March 28, 2007
5:00 P.M. .
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
130 S. GALENA
ASPEN, COLORADO
SITE VISIT: Please site visit all the properties on your own.
I. Roll call
II. Approval of minutes - March 14th, 2007 minutes 5,1 ileA _111 )' Ie)
III. Public Comments
IV. Commission member comments
V. Disclosure of conflict of interest (actual and apparent)
VI. Project Monitoring
VII. Staff comments: Certificate of No Negative Effect issued
(Next resolution will be #9)
VIII. OLD BUSINESS
A. 411 E. Hopkins - Caribou Alley Minor Development -
continue to May 23rd Q \ I.", v, - ~" C>,) b :+
I~L ,,-.
IX. NEW BUSINESS tfl'L Ifu'l:! '''-Sf
A. 110 E. Bleeker Street - Variances, Public He~~g (20 min.) q _6}.~o
B. 507 Gillespie Street - Major Development, Conceptual
Review and Variances, Public Hearing (40 min.)IZ,5o#ICr
C. 827 Dean St. - Landmark Designation (40 min.)((~'d4/1-
D. 214 E. Bleeker Street - Conceptual Revie, and Variances,
Public Hearing-IIJ\-~I\,VT"' LDT (0)1 + cL f-D ~ ih ~
X. WORKSESSIONS
A.NONE
IX. ADJOURN 7:15 p.m.
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Provide proof of legal notice (affidavit of notice for PH)
Staff presentation
Applicant presentation
Board questions and clarifications
Public comments (close public comment portion of hearing)
Board comments
Applicant rebuttal (comments)
Motion
No meeting of the HPC shall be called to order without a quorum consisting
of at leastfour (4) members being present No meeting at which less than a
quorum shall be present shall conduct any business other than to continue
the agenda items to a date certain, All ,m n ... rring
vote ng votes
..'-"- .{
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PROJECT MONITORING
Jeffrey Halferty
213 W, Bleeker (Schelling)
555/557 Walnut
701 W. Main
314 K Hyman, Motherlode
930 Matchless
212 W, Hopkins
205 S. Galena
202 N, Monarch
Mike Hoffman
216 K Hallam (Belford)
308 Park
640 N, Third
435 W, Main Jewish Center
Derek Skalko
501 W. Main Street (Christiana)
114 Neale Avenue
2 Williams Way (Hicks)
423 N. 2nd Street
811/819 E. Hopkins (Fellman) w/ Sarah
135 W. Hopkins
Sarah Broughton
311 S. First
811/819 E. Hopkins (Fellman) w/Derek
110 E. Bleeker wIJason
530, 532, 534 K Hopkins
435 W, Main Jewish Center
Jason Lasser
110 E. Bleeker w/ Sarah
334 W. Hallam
Doerr Hosier Center @ Meadows
629 W. Smuggler
Fox Crossing Park
233 W, Main: rImsbruck
Hotel Jerome
Alison Agley
529 W. Francis
205 S. Galena
Brian McNellis
435 W, Main Jewish Center
CONCEPTUAL APPROVALS THAT HAVE NOT GONE TO FINAL REVIEW:
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930 Matchless- (October 26, 2005)
435 W, Main, Aspen Jewish Comm, Center- (August 10, 2005)
Fire station- (February 8, 2006)
332 W, Main- (May 10, 2006)
508 K Cooper- Guly 12, 2006)
308 K Hopkins- Guly 12,2006)
1X.. D.,
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MEMORANDUM
TO:
Aspen Historic Preservation Commission
FROM:
Amy Guthrie, Historic Preservation Officer
RE:
110 E Bleeker Street- Setback Variances, Public Heariug
DATE:
March 28, 2007
SUMMARY: The subject property contains a Victorian era home, HPC awarded Major
Development approval for a rehab of the historic resource in 2002, and then approved an
amended plan in 2004, The applicant has submitted for a building permit, and during permit
review it was determined that there are unresolved setback issues. The applicant requests a
combined sideyard setback variance to accommodate their new construction, and side and rear
variances for an existing garage,
Staff recommends that one of the variances, a combined sideyard setback variance, be granted
finding that the HPC review criteria are met This will allow at least part of the project to
continue towards construction, We recommend that the variances related to the garage be
continued for restudy.
APPLICANT: Lexie Brockway Potamkin, owner, represented by Klein, Cote, and Edwards,
LLC.
PARCEL ID: 2735-124-37-006.
ADDRESS: 110 E. Bleeker, Lots Land M, Block 65, City and Townsite of Aspen.
ZONING: R-6 (Medium Density Residential),
SETBACK VARIANCE
The criteria for granting setback variances, per Section 26.415.110.C of the Municipal Code are
as follows:
HPC must make a finding that the setback variance:
a. Is similar to the pattern, features and character ofthe historic property or district; and/or
b. Enhances or mitigates an adverse impact to the historic significance or architectural character
of the historic property, an adjoining designated historic property or historic district.
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STAFF RESPONSE: The rehab plans and. addition to the historic house were reviewed at
length. The project provides the required 5 foot sideyard setback along each property line,
however it was overlooked that the combined total of the sideyards must be 15 feet in this case.
Since only 10 feet total is being provided, a 5 foot variance is required. The project is unchanged
from what HPC has previously determined to be an appropriate preservation of the house,
including creating adequate separation between the new and old construction by the use of a one
story connector. The historic house is not being relocated from its original position. Staff
recommends that HPC grant a combined sideyard setback variance.
The second set of variance requests relate to an existing garage, When HPC reviewed the project
in 2002, the garage was identified as "existing" and no alterations at all were proposed to it.
Although the building crosses onto the neighbor's property line and into the City owned alley,
Staff apparently viewed it as a non-conformity that did not require correction. When the project
was amended and re-reviewed by HPC in 2004, the architect proposed to move the garage doors
from west facing to north facing, adding a roof cricket for drainage. This was done in reaction to
Zoning Department direction that the garage was only eligible for an FAR exemption if the doors
faced the alley. The garage changes did not draw any debate from HPC at the time, and Staff did
not question the owner's right to maintain the garage location.
Re-visiting setback compliance issues on the house has caused us to find that, at the least, rear
and sideyard setback variances ought to be reviewed for the garage since the building is receiving
some alterations. The neighbor to the west, onto who's property the garage sits, is protesting the
award of variances given the significant project that is now being undertaken. The owner will
have to receive an encroachment license from the City to continue the garage location in the
alley. It is certainly possible that the encroachment license will not be granted since the City
typically prefers the opportunity to remove obstructions like this one when possible.
The garage does not match either of the outbuildings which appear on the 1904 Sanborne Map of
the site. Staff has no reason to believe that it is historically significant and merits preservation.
We do not have an accurate date for its construction.
There is precedent on this site for an outbuilding pressed up against the rear and east lot lines.
Staff can support a garage building in that location, but does not support continued encroachment
onto City property. The overhang onto the neighbor's site is a civil matter, but does in fact
represent a setback violation on their site. We recommend that the review be continued for the
applicant to study a garage configuration that does include the requested rear and east sideyard
setback variances, but which does not cross into the alley, and perhaps not onto the neighbor's
site. We cannot address whether or not this kind of reconfiguration of the garage impacts the
owner's right to use some of the property to the east. Two parking spaces must be provided
entirely on the 110 E. Bleeker site, whether they are both included in a garage structure or not
Please note that the applicant has provided their building permit plans to document the proposed
variances. HPC staff has yet to verifY that the building permit complies with all of the conditions
of approval, such as landscape plan, preservation methods, etc., but it is an accurate
representation of the issues at hand for this hearing.
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RECOMMENDATION: Staff finds that the setback variance criteria are met for the combined
sideyard, and we recommend approval. The rear and sideyard variances for the garage should be
continued to a date certain for restudy of the design proposal.
RECOMMENDED MOTION: "I move to approve Resolution #_, Series of 2007, for a
combined sideyard setback variance. I move to continue the garage variances to a date certain."
Exhibit:
Resolution #_, Series of2007
A. Application
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A RESOLUTION OF THE ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION (HPC)
APPROVING A COMBINED SIDEY ARD SETBACK VARIANCE FOR A PROJECT
LOCATED AT 110 E. BLEEKER, LOTS LAND M, BLOCK 65, CITY AND
TOWNSITE OF ASPEN, COLORADO
RESOLUTION NO. _, SERIES OF 2007
PARCEL ID: 2735-124-37-006
WHEREAS, the applicant, Lexie Brockway Potamkin, owner, represented by Klein, Cote, and
Edwards, LLC, has requested a setback variance for the property located at 110 E. Bleeker, Lots
Land M, Block 65, City and Townsite of Aspen; and
WHEREAS, for approval of setback variances, the HPC must review the application, a staff
analysis report and the evidence presented at a hearing to determine that Section 26.415.110.B of
the Municipal Code, is met; and
WHEREAS, Amy Guthrie, in her staff report dated March 28, 2007, performed an analysis of
the application based on the standards, found that the review standards were met, and
recommended approval of a combined sideyard setback variance; and
WHEREAS, at their regular meeting on March 28,2007, the Historic Preservation Commission
considered the application, found the application was consistent with the review standards and
approved a combined sideyard setback variance by a vote of _ to _'
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
That HPC hereby grants a 5 foot reduction of the minimum combined sideyard setback for the
project at 110 E. Bleeker, Lots L and M, Block 65, City and Townsite of Aspen. The project
was granted final approval via HPC Resolution #33, Series of 2004.
APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION at its regular meeting on the 28th day of March,
2007.
Approved as to Form:
David Hoefer, Assistant City Attorney
Approved as to content:
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Jeffrey Halferty, Chair
ATTEST:
Kathy Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk
110 Bleeker Variance Request
Page 1 of2
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Amy Guthrie
From: R Domingue [ron@domingue.us]
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 5:59 PM
To: Sara Adams; Amy Guthrie
Cc: Nancy Domingue; Chris LaCroix; Greg Gordon; George Weaver; David and Beth Weaver
Subject: 110 Bieeker Variance Request
Attachments: new_door[7].jpg; living_on.J)ropertyline.jpg
Hi Amy and Sarah,
My wife Nancy said that we should write a letter to you regarding the proposed
remodel project at 110 Bleeker street. We have discussed this with our neighbors
(George and Shirley Weaver) upstairs and they would like to join us in voicing our
concerns regarding the project.
We are not proactively asking for the relocation of the garage. Our
communication is prompted solely by the plans we were shown last week. As both
the garage and main house are being upgraded then we would ask that the proper
city guidelines be applied. We understand that an argument is being made for the
historic location of the garage, but there are other significant changes being made
to the garage.
The current location of the garage extends the effective property line over into our
property. With the current garage, it is simply the structure and a drainage pipe
which is on our property. With this remodel, a door is added right on our property
line, an entire outdoor living area with water and fire features will be added very
close to the property line. It would not take too much imagination to picture the
owners, their guests or future owners entertaining in this area and causing future
concerns. I would speculate that the reason for the property setbacks is to allow
neighbors to do what they choose on their property while respecting each others
privacy. If the proper setbacks were observed (or even pulling the garage back to
the property line) then the proximity of this outdoor space might be more
reasonable.
Attached are two pictures from the drawings where the door (blue) and fire and
water features (red) are highlighted. I would like to point out that both (ours and
the Weavers) of our master bedrooms are on the corner of the house where this
outside living/entertaining area will be located.
I can appreciate that everyone doing a remodel in Aspen would like to make the
most out of their property. But the proposed remodel will also negatively affect
our property as well and we would urge the city to respect the setback guidelines.
3/20/2007
110 Bleeker Variance Request
P12
Page 20f2
I will be traveling on Wednesday and Thursday so my availability will be limited.
In addition, since neither the Weavers nor us will be able to attend the meeting
next week we have jointly engaged Chris Lacroix/Greg Gordon from Garfield Hecht
to represent us at the meeting.
Thank you for your time.
Ron and Nancy Domingue
407 312-6683 Ron's cell
415 310-0870 Nancy's cell
,non007
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P17
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Aspen Historic Preservation Commission
FROM:
Sara Adams, Historic Preservation Planner
RE:
507 Gillespie Street, Major Development Review (Conceptual), Residential
Design Standards, ADU Design Standards, and Variances - Public Hearing
DATE:
March 28, 2007
SUMMARY: The subject property (Lot B) is a 4,572 square foot vacant lot that was created by
a Historic Landmark Lot Split in 2001. The 500 square foot FAR bonus was granted to the
fathering parcel: the historic lot, 515 Gillespie or "Lot A" is allowed 1,753 square feet of FAR
and the vacant lot 507 Gillespie or "Lot B" is allowed 2,840 square feet of FAR. The vacant lot
is required to provide affordable housing mitigation.
The applicant proposes to maximize the FAR potential on the site with a new single family
residence, and an onsite accessory dwelling unit (ADU). All parking requirements are provided
on site, and the design complies with the Residential Design Standards. The applicant requests a
sideyard setback variance for proposed 1ightwells, and a variance from the ADU Design
Standards for the proposed subgrade living space.
Staff is not in favor of the setback and ADU Design Standard variances. Staff recommends that
HPC approve the application with the condition that the applicant pay cash in lieu fee for
affordable housing mitigation and that the lightwells are brought into compliance with the Land
Use Code; or continue the application for further restudy of these issues.
APPLICANT: Randall and Alison Bone, represented by Rich Carr and Karen Woods of
CCY Architects
PARCELID: 2735-121-11-007.
ADDRESS: 507 Gillespie Street, Lot B of the Beck Historic Lot Split, City and
Townsite of Aspen, Colorado.
ZONING: R6
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT (CONCEPTUAL)
The procedure for a Major Development Review, at the Conceptual level, is as follows. Staff
reviews the submittal materials and prepares a report that analyzes the project's conformance
with the design guidelines and other applicable Land Use Code Sections. This report is
transmitted to the HPC with relevant information on the proposed project and a
recommendation to continue, approve, disapprove or approve with conditions and the reasons
507 Gillespie Street, HPC Conceptual Review
Page 1 of9
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for the recommendation. The HPC will review the application, the staff analysis report and the
evidence presented at the hearing to determine the project's conformance with the City of
Aspen Historic Preservation Design Guidelines. The HPC may approve, disapprove, approve
with conditions, or continue the application to obtain additional information necessary to
make a decision to approve or deny.
Major Development is a two-step process requiring approval by the HPC of a Conceptual
Development Plan, and then a Final Development Plan. Approval of a Conceptual
Development Plan shall be binding upon HPC in regards to the location and form of the
envelope of the structure(s) and/or addition(s) as depicted in the Conceptual Plan application
including its height, scale, massing and proportions. No changes will be made to this aspect of
the proposed development by the HPC as part of their review of the Final Development Plan
unless agreed to by the applicant.
DESIGN GUIDELINE REVIEW
Conceptual review focuses on the height, scale, massing and proportions of a proposal. A list
of the design guidelines relevant to Conceptual Review is attached as "Exhibit A." Only those
guidelines which staff finds the project may be in conflict with, or where discussion is needed,
are included in the memo.
Staff Response: Overall, Staff finds that the proposed design is sensitive to the adjacent
historic resource and it clearly represents a product of its own time.
Below is an image of 515 Gillespie Street and an aerial map indicating the vacant lot and
neighborhood context. According to historic inventory report completed in 2000, the residence
at 515 Gilles ie Street was moved to this location in 1971.
515 Gillespie Street, circa 1880, is pictured
above.
This GIS map shows Lots A and B, and
other historic resources in the area (hatched boxes).
The proposed height for the two story, single family residence is about 23 feet, where 25 feet is
required. Staff finds this height to be appropriate, and the proposed scale of the building is
compatible with the adjacent two story Victorian residence. The front and side elevations convey
smaller modules as recommended in guideline 11.3 below through the creative use of different
roof forms, heights, and a front porch element. In addition, the applicant locates the majority of
507 Gillespie Street, HPC Conceptual Review
Page 2 of9
P19
the rear mass of the primary residence on the east elevation, which alleviates the development
from overwhelming the historic resource to the west. Staff finds that guidelines 11.3, 11.4 and
11.5 are met.
11.3 Construct a new building to appear similar in scale with the historic buildings on the
parcel.
D Subdivide larger masses into smaller "modules" that are similar in size to the historic
buildings on the original site.
11.4 Design a front elevation to be similar in scale to the historic building.
D The primary plane of the front should not appear taller than the historic structure.
D The front should include a one-story element, such as a porch.
11.5 Use building forms that are similar to those of the historic property.
D They should not overwhelm the original in scale.
The applicant proposes a gable roof form on the street facing elevation as the primary form, with
a "sloping-plate-shed roofform" above the northeast comer window. Staff finds that the
combination of roof forms on the front fa<;ade, and the side elevations, fulfills guidelines 11.6
and 11.10 below: they are simple and clearly distinguish the new residence as contemporary.
11.6 Use roof forms that are similar to those seen traditionally in the block.
D Sloping roofs such as gable and hip roofs are appropriate for primary roof forms.
D Flat roofs should be used only in areas where it is appropriate to the context.
D On a residential structure, eave depths should be similar to those seen traditionally in the
context.
D Exotic building and roof forms that would detract from the visual continuity of the street are
discouraged. These include geodesic domes and A-frames.
11.10 The imitation of older historic styles is discouraged.
D This blurs the distinction between old and new buildings.
D Highly complex and ornately detailed revival styles that were not a part of Aspen's history are
especially discouraged on historic sites.
Staff finds that the primary residence meets all of the design guidelines listed in Chapter 11
"New Buildings on a Historic Lot Split."
,
The applicant proposes a two stall garage! ADU structure at the rear of the property. Staff finds
that the shed roof form and one story height are compatible with existing structures on the alley-
Exhibit B illustrates current alley conditions. A variance is requested for the subgrade ADU
space, which is addressed below.
PARKING REQUIREMENTS
The applicant is required to provide 3 spaces, including 1 ADU parking space, onsite. This
requirement is fulfilled.
507 Gillespie Street, HPC Conceptual Review
Page 3 of9
P20
RESIDENTIAL DESIGN STANDARDS
The proposal does not require any variations from the Residential Design Standards.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DESIGN STANDARDS
26.520.080.D. Special Review.
An application requesting a variance from the ADU and Carriage House design standards, or
an appeal of a determination made by the Community Development Director, shall be
processed as a Special Review in accordance with the Common Development Review
Procedure set forth in Section 26.304. The Special Review shall be considered at a public
hearing for which notice has been posted and mailed, pursuant to Section
26.304.060(E)(3)(a)(b and c).
Review is by the Planning and Zoning Commission. If the property is a Historic Landmark,
on the Inventory of Historic Sites and Structures, or within a Historic Overlay District, and
the application has been authorized for consolidation pursuant to Section 26.304, the Historic
Preservation Commission shall consider the Special Review.
A Special Review for an ADU or Carriage House may be approved, approved with
conditions, or denied based on conformance with the following criteria:
1. The proposed ADU or Carriage House is designed in a manner which promotes the
purpose of the ADU and Carriage House program, promotes the purpose of the zone
district in which it is proposed, and promotes the unit's general livability.
.2. The proposed ADU or Carriage House is designed to be compatible with, and
subordinate in character to, the primary residence considering all dimensions, site
configuration, landscaping, privacy, and historical significance of the property.
3. The proposed ADU or Carriage House is designed in a manner which is compatible
with or enhances the character of the neighborhood considering all dimensions, density,
designated view planes, operating characteristics, traffic, availability of on-street parking,
availability of transit services, and walking proximity to employment and recreational
opportunities.
Staff Response: The applicant is requesting a variance from Design Standard 26.520.050.4 that
requires the finished floor height of an ADU be entirely above the natural or finished grade (See
Exhibit A for the ADU Purpose Statement and Design Standards). HPC is authorized to grant a
variance from this Standard by finding conformance with criteria 1 thru 3 listed in the box above.
Criterion 1: Staff finds that a subgrade unit does not promote the purpose of the ADU program
or the unit's livability; and therefore criterion 1 is not met. The ADU program purpose statement
(Exhibit A) emphasizes "viable and livable housing opportunities to local working residents." In
Staffs opinion a subgrade space does not meet the intent of the ADU program.
Criterion 2: Staff finds that the design of the ADU meets criterion 2: it maintains a one story
height, which is subordinate and sensitive to the historic resource.
507 Gillespie Street, HPC Conceptual Review
Page 4 of9
P21
Criterion 3: The proposed subgrade space is compatible with the neighborhood because it does
not greatly impact density, viewplanes, or any of the other items listed above. The form and
scale of the proposal emanates outbuildings from the turn of the 19th century; and in a sense it
enhances the West End Victorians by paying homage to that historic form in a contemporary
fashion.
Staff finds that the criteria to grant a design standard variance for the ADD are not all met, and
recommends that HPC deny this request. The applicant can relocate the subgrade space on top of
the garage, and deed restrict the unit with the AspenlPitkin Housing Authority as "For Sale", in
order for the unit to not count toward FAR calculation; or the applicant can pay a cash in lieu fee
of[$69.52 * 2840 sq. ft.]= $197,436.80 to fulfill the affordable housing requirement on this site
and fund affordable housing at an off-site location.
If the unit is not used for affordable housing, it is only permitted in the R6 zone district for a lot
this size (4, 572 square feet) as an accessory structure, which is not permitted to have bathroom
or kitchen facilities that would render it a detached residence.
SETBACK VARIANCES
The applicant is requesting an east sideyard setback variance of up to 4 feet for proposed
lightwells.
The criteria for granting setback variances, per Section 26.415.110.B of the Municipal Code are
as follows:
In granting a variance, the HPC must make a finding that such a variance:
a. Is similar to the pattern, features and character of the historic property or district;
and/or
b. Enhances or mitigates an adverse impact to the historic significance or architectural
character of the historic property, an adjoining designated historic property or historic
district.
Staff Response: Lightwells are permitted in the setbacks if they are the minimum required by
the IRe for egress from a bedroom, which is 9 square feet. The 3 1ightwells proposed for the
primary residence are larger than 9 square feet minimum. Staff is not in favor of a setback
variance for two reasons: 1.) the site is an empty lot, and 2.) the criteria listed above are not met.
The proposed lightwells do not exemplify a pattern of the historic property, and they are located
on the east elevation- abutting the historic resource. Staff recommends that HPC deny the
request for variances and recommends that the applicant reduce the size of the 1ightwells off the
two bedrooms to meet the minimum 9 square feet for egress. Staff recommends that the
1ightwell off of the "rec room" be omitted or shifted to the west elevation, and located within the
building envelope.
507 Gillespie Street, HPC Conceptual Review
Page 5 of9
P22
DECISION MAKING OPTIONS:
The HPC may:
. approve the application,
. approve the application with conditions,
. disapprove the application, or
. continue the application to a date certain to obtain additional information necessary
to make a decision to approve or deny.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that HPC grant Major Development Review
(Conceptual) for the property located at 507 Gillespie Street, Lot B, Beck Historic Lot Split, City
and Townsite of Aspen, Colorado with the following conditions;
1. Cash in lieu will be provided to fulfill the affordable housing requirement.
2, The subgrade detached affordable dwelling unit is not approved.
3. The development will conform to all sideyard setback requirements.
4. The lightwells located off the two bedrooms will be reduced to the minimum 9 square
feet required by IRC for egress.
5. A development application for a Final Development Plan shall be submitted within one
(1) year of the date of approval of a Conceptual Development Plan. Failure to file such an
application within this time period shall render null and void the approval of the
Conceptual Development Plan. The Historic Preservation Commission may, at its sole
discretion and for good cause shown, grant a one-time extension of ihe expiration date for
a Conceptual Development Plan approval for up to six (6) months provided a written
request for extension is received no less than thirty (30) days prior to the expiration date.
Exhibits:
A. Relevant Design Guidelines and ADD Purpose Statement and Standards
B. Alley Conditions
C. Application
"Exhibit A: Relevant Design Guidelines and ADU Standards for 507 Gillespie Street,
Conceptual Review"
11.1 Orient the primary entrance of a new building to the street.
o The building should be arranged parallel to the lot lines, maintaining the traditional grid
pattern of the site.
11.2 In a residential context, clearly define the primary entrance to a new building by
using a front porch.
o The front porch should be "functional," in that it is used as a means of access to the entry.
o A new porch should be similar in size and shape to those seen traditionally.
o In some cases, the front door itself may be positioned perpendicular to the street;
nonetheless, the entry should still be clearly defined with a walkway and porch that orients to
the street.
507 Gillespie Street, HPC Conceptual Review
Page 6 of9
P23
11.3 Construct a new building to appear similar in scale with the historic buildings on the
parcel.
D Subdivide larger masses into smaller nmodules" that are similar in size to the historic
buildings on the original site.
11.4 Design a front elevation to be similar in scale to the historic building.
D The primary plane of the front should not appear taller than the historic structure.
D The front should include a one-story element, such as a porch.
11.5 Use building forms that are similar to those ofthe historic property.
D They should not overwhelm the original in scale.
11.6 Use roof forms that are similar to those seen traditionally in the block.
D Sloping roofs such as gable and hip roofs are appropriate for primary roof forms.
D Flat roofs should be used only in areas where it is appropriate to the context.
D On a residential structure, eave depths should be similar to those seen traditionally in the
context.
D Exotic building and roof forms that would detract from the visual continuity of the street are
discouraged. These include geodesic domes and A-frames.
11.10 The imitation of older historic styles is discouraged.
D This blurs the distinction between old and new buildings.
D Highly complex and ornately detailed revival styles that were not a part of Aspen's history are
especially discouraged on historic sites.
26.520 Affordable Dwelling Units and Carriage Houses
26. 520.010 Purpose
The purpose of the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and Carriage House Program is to promote
the long-standing community goal of socially, economically, and environmentally responsible
development patterns which balance Aspen the resort and Aspen the community. Aspen values
balanced neighborhoods and a sense of commonality between working residents and part-time
residents. ADUs and Carriage Houses represent viable housing opportunities for working
residents and allow employees to live within the fabric of the community without their housing
being easily identifiable as "employee housing." ADUs and Carriage Houses also help to address
the affects of existing homes, which have provided workforce housing, being significantly
redeveloped, often as second homes.
ADUs and Carriage Houses support local Aspen businesses by providing an employee base
within the town and providing a critical mass of local residents important to preserving Aspen's
character. ADUs and Carriage Houses allow second homeowners the opportunity to hire an on-
site caretaker to maintain their property in their absence. Increased employee housing
opportunities in close proximity to employment and recreation centers is also an environmentally
preferred land use pattern, which reduces automobile reliance.
Detached ADUs and Carriage Houses emulate a historic development pattern and maximize the
privacy and livability of both the ADU or Carriage Houses and the primary unit. Detached ADUs
507 Gillespie Street, HPC Conceptual Review
Page 7 of9
P24
and Carriage Houses are more likely to be occupied by a local working resident, furthering a
com-munity goal of housing the workforce,
To the extent Aspen desires detached ADUs and Carriage Houses which provide viable and
livable housing opportunities to local working residents, detached ADUs and Carriage Houses
qualify ex-isting vacant lots of record and significant redevelopment of existing homes for an
exemption from the Growth Management Quota System. In addition, detached ADUs and
Carriage Houses deed restricted as "For Sale" units, according to the Aspen/Pitkin County
Housing Authority Guide-lines, as amended, and sold according to the procedures established in
the Guidelines provide for certain Floor Area incentives.
26. 520.050 Design Standards
All ADUs and Carriage Houses shall conform to the following design standards unless otherwise
approved, pursuant to Section 26.520.080, Special Review:
1. An ADU must contain between 300 and 800 net livable square feet, 10% of which
must be a closet or storage area. An Carriage House must contain between 800 and 1,200
net livable square feet, 10% of which must be closet or storage area.
2. An ADU or Carriage House must be able to function as a separate dwelling unit. This
includes the following:
a) An ADU or Carriage House must be separately accessible from the exterior. An
interior entrance to the primary residence may be approved, pursuant to Special Review;
b) An ADU or Carriage House must have separately accessible utilities. This does not
preclude shared services;
c) An ADU or Carriage House shall contain a kitchen containing, at a minimum, an oven,
a stove with two burners, a sink, and a refrigerator with a minimum of 6 cubic feet of
capacity and a freezer; and,
d) An ADU or Carriage House shall contain a bathroom containing, at a minimum, a sink,
a toilet, and a shower.
3. One parking space for the ADU or Carriage House shall be provided on-site and shall
remain available for the benefit of the ADU or Carriage House resident. The parking
space shall not be stacked with a space for the primary residence.
4. The finished floor height(s) of the ADU or Carriage House shall be entirely above the
natural or finished grade, whichever is higher, on all sides of the structure.
5. The ADU or Carriage House shall be detached from the primary residence. An ADU or
Carriage House located above a detached garage or storage area shall qualify as a
detached ADU or Carriage House. No other connections to the primary residence, or
portions thereof, shall qualify the ADU or Carriage House as detached.
6. An ADU or Carriage House shall be located within the dimensional requirements of
the zone district in which the property is located.
7. The roof design shall prevent snow and ice from shedding upon an entrance to an ADU
or Carriage House. If the entrance is accessed via stairs, sufficient means of preventing
snow and ice from accumulating on the stairs shall be provided.
507 Gillespie Street, HPC Conceptual Review
Page 80f9
P25
8. ADUs and Carriage Houses shall be developed in accordance with the requirements of
this title which apply to residential development in general. These include, but are not
limited to, the Uniform Building Code requirements related to adequate natural light,
ventilation, fire egress, fire suppression, and sound attenuation between living units. This
standard may not be varied.
9. All ADUs and Carriage Houses shall be registered with the Housing Authority 'and the
property shall be deed restricted in accordance with Section 26.520.070 Deed
Restrictions. This standard may not be varied.
507 Gillespie Street, HPC Conceptual Review
Page 9 of9
Page 1 of 1
P26
Sara Adams
From: falender@comcastnet
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 5:57 PM
To: Sara Adams
Cc: kwoods@ccyarchitects.com
Subject: 507 W. Gillespie St./ HPC 5/28/07
Dear Sara and HPC,
We live at 603 W. Gillespie, the southwest comer of 5th and Gillespie.
Weare opposed to the granting of any variance in the side yard for light wells at 507 Gillespie, unless
the Owner can demonstrate a significant hardship. This is new construction, and it should be possible
to eliminate the variance by design revisions.
The R-6 code already allows minimal side yard setbacks and very generous building sizes on small
lots. The West End is is becoming more densely developed, with the corresponding shrinking of
lawns and landscaping. This variance, while seemingly modest, will virtually eliminate the space
necessary to effectively landscape the side yard, or even access the side yard for maintenance.
The owner's burden should be very high to show a significant hardship, or the variance should be
denied.
Steve and Debbi Falender
603 W. Gillespie St.
Aspen 81611
970-920-1816
':l/,~n()()7
exhibit B
Image of vacant lot (507 Gillespie) and
the historic resource (515 Gillespie )to the
right.
View of the south side of the alley. The
garage is part ofthe 515 Gillespie property,
The south side of the alley looking west
507 Gillespie is across the alley from the
once story outbuilding at the center of the
photograph.
~c
P27
MEMORANDUM
TO:
. Historic Preservation Commission
FROM:
Sara Adams, Historic Preservation Planner
RE:
827 Dean Street, Landmark Designation- Public Hearing
DATE:
March 28, 2007.
INTRODUCTION: The subject property is located in a residential neighborhood on Dean
Street and exemplifies the chalet style. It was built in 1954/6 by Harry Poschman, a local ski
operatorlbuilder/traveler. This home illustrates two important aspects of local postwar history:
the chalet style, which illustrates Aspen's period of significance as an international ski resort, and
the significance of local Harry Poschman to Aspen's cultural heritage.
Staff finds that 827 Dean Street meets designation criterion a in its architectural and cultural
representation of a pattern and trend during the birth of the ski industry in Aspen.
ADDRESS: 827 Dean Street, Lots P and Q, Block 113, City and Townsite of Aspen, Colorado.
PARCEL In: 2737-182-58-004.
APPLICANT: Ny1a M. White, 827 Dean Street, Aspen, Colorado.
ZONING: RMF, Residential Multi-Family zone district.
HISTORIC DESIGNATION
26.4IS.030B. Criteria.
To be eligible for designation on the Aspen Inventory of Historic Landmark Sites and Structures,
an individual building, site, structure or object or a collection of buildings, sites, structures or
objects must have a demonstrated quality of significance.
The significance of the property located at 827 Dean Street will be evaluated according to the
following criteria:
1. The property was constructed at least forty (40) years prior to the year in which
the application for designation is being made and the property possesses sufficient integrity
of location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, and association and is related to one
or more of the following:
a. An event, pattern, or trend that has made a significant contribution
to local, state, regional or national history,
1
P28
b. People whose specific contributions to local, state, regional or
national history is deemed important and can be identified and
documented,
c. A physical design that embodies the distinctive characteristics of a
type, period or method of construction, or represents the technical
or aesthetic achievements of a recognized designer, craftsman or
design philosophy that is deemed important.
Staff Response: 827 Dean Street exemplifies the cultural trend of postwar Aspen through both
its connection to local Harry Poschrnan and chalet architectural style, and meets criteria a,
Cultural Significance! Representation oflocal trend:
Harry Poschrnan was born in 1913 in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania where he began skiing on
homemade skis. He moved with his mother and sister out to California where he pursued skiing
and was a founding member of the San Diego Ski Club. After the Pearl Harbor attack, Poschrnan
enlisted and moved to Colorado as a ski instructor for Mountain Training Group at Camp Hale
(Leadville). Similar to many Aspen locals of this era, Poschrnan was part of the 10th Mountain
Division, and fought in the mountains overseas. During the War, he developed an appreciation
for the chalet architecture he experienced in the mountain villages of Europe. Upon returning to
the mountains in the States after the war, he committed to "make skiing his life"] and became a
ski instructor traveling between Alta and Aspen with his wife Jonny.
According to his son Greg Poschrnan, Harry was greatly influenced by the mountain architecture
in Europe and wanted to bring the style back to the States, He helped build Lift One in Aspen in
194617; and similar to many Aspen locals, he performed a variety of jobs which included
building houses. Greg Poschman recalls his father traveling to Switzerland, after the War, and
photographing chalet style houses to build in Aspen. In addition to 827 Dean Street, Staff
believes that only one other Poschrnan-built chalet remains in Aspen. He built and operated the
Edelweiss Chalet on Hopkins Avenue, which has been replaced with the Hotel Lenado; a chalet
located on West Hopkins Avenue was demolished; and a little chalet in the Knollwood area
remains intact. Staff finds that it is not "aesthetic or physical achievements" listed in criterion c
that deem Harry Poschrnan important to Aspen, but rather his representation of Aspen sentiment
and values during the postwar era that significantly impacted the cultural heritage of town. Harry
actively influenced the development of Aspen as a ski destination by becoming a one-man
chamber of commerce for the town in the 1950s. Staff finds that Harry Poschrnan exemplifies
the culture in Aspen following the end of World War II that shaped the town we experience
today.2
Contribution to local pattern and trend of chalet architecture during 1950s
827 Dean Street possesses a few titles: The Christmas House, Le Petit Chalet Blanc and Le Petit
Chalet Enizien, and was built in the Swiss chalet tradition. The Christmas House is oriented
toward Aspen Mountain on the site, and is unique in that its front fal(ade faces the rear of the lot-
] "Harry Poschman" The Aspen Times. Obituary, August 12,2006.
2 See Exhibit A for articles about Harry Poschman and his role in Aspen's ski culture.
2
P29
which results from a plan to extend Water Street that was abandoned after the establishment of
Glory Hole Park.3
The Christmas House exhibits the chalet style through materials (combination of stucco and
wood cut out details), one story scale with a small base, window boxes and rectangular windows,
and a generous gable roof. Only a few alterations have been performed on this residence- in the
1980s, the current owner completed an interior renovation that enclosed the northwest roof
overhang to make an entry hall.4 Staff completed an integrity assessment evaluation based on
very limited information in the building permit file and a site visit. A score of 79 points was
assigned, which qualifies this residence for designation. Staff finds that the Christmas House
conveys the chalet style and ski culture of Aspen burgeoning in the 1950s,5 which satisfies
criterion a.
In conclusion, staff finds that 827 Dean Street, the Christmas House, represents a pattern and
trend significant to Aspen's local ski history through its chalet style architecture and connection
to local Harry Poschman- the quintessential postwar ski local.
DECISION MAKING OPTIONS:
The HPC may:
. approve the application,
. approve the application with conditions,
. disapprove the application, or
. continue the application to a date certain to obtain additional information necessary
to make a decision to approve or deny.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff finds that the criteria for designation as a local landmark are
met, and recommends HPC recommend to City Council that 827 Dean Street, Lots P and Q,
Block 113, City and Townsite of Aspen Colorado, be added to the Aspen Inventory of Historic
Sites and Structures.
EXHIBITS:
Resolution #
of2007.
A. Articles about Harry Poschman and the ski culture in 1950s Aspen.
B. Aspen's 20th Century Architecture: Chalet Style- a paper written by the Community
Development Department of Aspen.
C. Photographs, drawings, building permit form
D. Integrity Assessment
E. Application
, See Exhibit C for site survey.
4 See Exhibit C for images.
5 See Exhibit B for the Chalet Context Paper.
3
P31
A RESOLUTION OF THE ASPEN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION (HPC)
RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF HISTORIC DESIGNATION FOR THE
PROPERTY LOCATED AT 827 EAST DEAN STREET, LOTS P AND Q, BLOCK 113,
CITY AND TOWNSITE OF ASPEN, COLORADO
RESOLUTION NO. _' SERIES OF 2007
PARCEL In: 2737-182-58-004.
WHEREAS, the applicant and property owner Ny1a White, initiated Historic Designation review
for the property located at 827 E. Dean Street, Lots P and Q, Block 113, City and Townsite of
Aspen, Colorado; and
WHEREAS, Section 26.415.050 of the Aspen Municipal Code establishes the process for
Designation and states that an application for listing on the Aspen Inventory of Historic
Landmark Sites and Structures shall be approved if City Council, after a recommendation from
HPC, determines sufficient evidence exists that the property meets the criteria; and
WHEREAS, Sara Adams, in her HPC staff report dated March 28, 2007, performed an analysis
of the application based on the standards, found that the review standards had been met, and
recommended approval; and
WHEREAS, at their regular meeting on March 28, 2007, the Historic Preservation Commission
considered the application, found the application was consistent with the review standards and
recommended approval by a vote of _ to _'
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
That HPC hereby recommends Council approve Historic Designation for 827 East Dean Street,
Lots P and Q, Block 113, City and Townsite of Aspen, Colorado.
APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION at its regular meeting on the 28th day of March,
2007.
Approved as to Form:
Jim True, City Attorney
Approved as to content:
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Jeffrey Halferty, Chair
ATTEST:
Kathy Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk
Aspen Times News for Aspen Colorado - Columnists
Page 1 of2
P33
111141n1_
A.
A ski trooper's tale of dreams
By Paul Andersen
December 6, 2004
When you think of the 10th Mountain Division, you think of ski troops and the gallant statue at Gondola Plaza.
Ironically, the ski troops never engaged the enemy on skis. They trained on skis, and they were a brotherhood of
skiers, but they never skied to war.
The fantasy image of mountain troops schussing into battle is tempered by Harry Poschman's book "A Skier's
War." I'm honored to be editing the book in its final draft while discovering the truth about an almost mythic
army division.
Poschman, now 92 and a former Aspen resident, was an avid skier long before the war. When he signed up as a
young man, he assumed that the life of a mountain trooper would be one grand adventure. Wrongo! During his
first real action in Italy, ski dreams were dashed by the grim specter of war.
Poschman was inducted in 1941. He bounced around to various training camps, the most formidable of which
was Camp Hale, located near Leadville, just a few hours' drive from Aspen. The troopers got to ski, but it was no
picnic.
Winter training at 30 below was a brutal ordeal of frostbite and physical discomfort. There were no fiberglass
skis, no Gore-Tex, no lightweight gear. The men relied on leather, wool, down and wood in a fully organic
contest with hard-core winter.
In 1943, the lOth troopers were sent to secure the Aleutian Islands. The Japanese had abandoned this chain of
coastal mountains just days before the 10th arrived. During a long, dull, cold, damp occupation, the troops gazed
at snow-clad peaks with a skier's envy but never strapped on boards.
Poschman writes about a reconnaissance patrol along the rugged coastline when his squad came upon a river
teeming with spawning salmon. Like grizzly bears, the troopers waded into the stream and began catching the
salmon by hand. Fresh salmon steaks were a major improvement over C-rations, even at the expense of wet feet.
Once the Aleutians were secured, Poschman, a sergeant, was attached to the newly organized 10th Mountain
Infantry Division, which was sent to Italy to fight the Germans. Here the 10th firmly established its fighting
reputation - not on skis, but on boot leather and raw courage.
Because of its specialized training in mountain terrain, the 10th was sent into the lower Apennines to Mount
Belvedere. Poschman reflected that this country was too beautiful for war, too sublime for killing.
Poschman's straight-from-the-shoulder description of hunkering down in foxholes while manning machine-gun
positions dispels any glamour of the war and any romance of the mountain troops. Skiing was a recurring dream,
but survival was the waking reality.
Poschman often fantasized o(skiing the Alps that spring, an image he carried through a blitz of shells and rifle
fire. When he and his troops were pushed farther to the front, their expectations of a quick campaign fell apart
like the ragged uniforms they wore.
Marched to exhaustion, the soldiers of the 10th killed and were killed in turn. They became hardened and
unrelenting in their pursuit of the enemy. Poschman, who led a squad with a potent weapon - the Browning .30-
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P34
Page 2 of2
.
~
caliber wllfetotooled heavy machine gun - gives ultimate credit to the riflemen who spearheaded each deadly
assalflt
'"
Visiting Italy years after the war, Poschman marveled at how thoroughly the ravages of war had been erased
from the mountain landscape. Sadly, it could never be erased from the lives of the gentle local fanning people or
the minds of soldiers who paid for each foot of bloody ground.
Poschman's book paints a picture of men who loved mountains and then had to fight in them. Sublime mountain
redoubts became death zones.
What appeared as serene beauty often morphed into a blood-stained nightmare. Through it all, ski dreams
prevailed.
Paul Andersen's column appears on Mondays.
BACK ..
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Page 1 of7
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A.
P35
Men for our mountains
A rare and vanishing breed
By Naomi Havlen
December 23, 2006
They came here for a love of the mountains, and their
legacy is modern-day Aspen.
The story of this small town in the mountains, and how it
became a world-class ski resort, is deeply intertwined with
the young veterans from the 10th Mountain Division who
settled hereafter World War II. Full of optimism and relief
that they survived the war, these men returned to the
mountains where they had first trained for combat, seeking
a way to make a living in the budding ski industry and have
a good time.
Olympic team
members, from left,
Gordy Wren, Steve
. Knowlton and Gene
Gillis training in
Aspen before the
1948 games in St.
Moritz, Switzerland.
(Courtesy Aspen
Historical Society)
Browse Asoen Times Photos
What they found in postwar Aspen was the aging infrastructure of a town that had been fairly quiet and nearly
abandoned by the outside world since the silver industry had collapsed in the late 19th century. Money was hard
to come by, and they worked long hours to develop and publicize a ski resort while raising their own families.
Many of them didn't know if the local ski industry would ever take off, but they plugged along because they
loved the sport and their surroundings.
In many respects, today's Aspen remains a town full of passionate outdoorsmen and women, scraping out a
living and making sacrifices to stay in a place they love. But much has changed, and evidence of the those
postwar pioneers is harder and harder to detect.
The sobering fact is many current Aspen residents leam the most about the 10th Mountain Division veterans
through obituaries. The former soldiers still alive are now solidly in their 80s, and while their tales have been
rightfully romanticized in books and historic archives, they aren't often told anymore.
In tribute to those veterans, along with their spouses and contemporaries, we retell some ofthose stories here.
A new industry
Aspen in the 1930s was a far cry from a bustling town - ski resort or
otherwise. Residents had watched a generation of silver miners leave town
in the late 1890s, when that industry ceased being lucrative. Ranchers in the
valley and residents in town eked out a peaceful, modest existence, and
skiing was becoming a local pastime. A number of developers had sought to
create ski areas in places like the Castle Creek Valley above Ashcroft ghost
town, and Swiss mountaineer Andre Roch had searched for a location for an
Alps-caliber ski resort.
In the mid-1930s, locals created a ski club and hosted local races. Roch Run,
on Aspen Mountain, was soon served by a boat tow that cost 10 cents for an
often-precarious ride up the mountain.
Aspen as a ski resort was a long way from international fame, but it was
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"
I~
:('
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Page 2 of7
about to get a solid fan base from the US, Army.
In the early '40s, men were joining up with the 10th Mountain Division,
learning to ski and tromp through deep snow at CampHale near Leadville. It
was a new concept for combat, dreamed up by National Ski Patrol founder
Minot Dole and Robert Langely, president of the National Ski Association,
in 1939. These two admired the Finnish Army's ski troops in the Russo-
Finnish War, where the troops used skis and mountaineering skills to '
outmaneuver Russians in winter conditions. It made sense that the U.S.
Army could train soldiers in similar skills to fight against the Germans in the
mountains ofItaly.
The 10th Mountain Division attracted
ski fanatics from around the United
States, including some early ski racers
(some of whom were born in Europe
Aspen and Aspen Mountain, circa and immigrated). What united these
1947-48. Lift One and the western side men _ beyond going to fight for their
of the mountain had been developed, .
but not Spar Gulch, Bell Mountain and country overseas - was theIr love of
Tourtelotte Park. (Courtesy Aspen skiing. According to the Aspen
Historical Society) Historical Society one 10th member
Click to Enlaroe h 'J th I f
wrote, "[t ey were e on y group 0
men in the Army who found common
cause in sport."
Aspen's first form of uphill
transportation was the Boat Tow,
shown here in 1946. Friedl Pfeifer is
wearing the glasses. (Courtesy Aspen
Historical Society)
Click to Enlarae
On their days off, many of the soldiers went skiing in the surrounding
mountains. Many flocked to Aspen, where Hotel Jerome operator Laurence
Elisha offered soldiers a room and a steak for $1 each. Some soldiers' wives
stayed in Aspen while they trained at Camp Hale. Those weekend excursions planted the seed of Aspen's future.
Soldiers like Fritz Benedict loved the town enough to buy property before the war was even over, thus
committing to settle in Aspen later.
Friedl Pfeifer was another solder who took one look at Aspen during his time at Camp Hale and decided he
would create a ski mountain to rival the best resorts in Europe. According to the Aspen Historical Society, when
the soldiers marched over Red Mountain and into town on a training maneuver, Pfeifer wrote, "Even as the
townspeople cheered our arrival, I was filled more with the beauty of Aspen than I was proud of our
accomplishment. The mountain peaks looming over the town made me feel like I was returning to St. Anton."
John Litchfield and his wife moved to Aspen as soon as he was discharged from the I Oth Mountain Division in
fall 1945. Both he and fellow soldier Percy Rideout had taught skiing for Friedl Pfeifer when Pfeifer ran the Sun
Valley ski school before the war.
"Friedl wanted to start a place of his own," Litchfield said recently from his home in Denver. "Percy and I
became associated with him in the fall of 1945 after we were all discharged, in running the ski school in Aspen.
"We were still pretty much broke when we Came out of the service, and you looked to keep yourself going for a
while until you got your feet on the ground again,"
As Litchfield explains it, the ski business seemed like a natural fit for him and many of his other friends from the
10th.
"It seemed that getting back into the skiing business was a good way to get
into civilian life and do something you enjoyed at the same time," he said.
Litchfield had been raised in Maine, cross-country skiing and ski jumping
with the Norwegians who settled in New England. A life in the outdoors
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P37
with skis strapped to his feet seemed like a dream come true.
"While we were at Camp Hale, we skied during the week, and skied
recreationally on the weekends - people thought we were crazy for that," he
said, laughing. "We'd go up the lift by Climax [Mine], to Winter Park, or if
you wanted to ski Roch Run in Aspen, you had to take a truck up to
Midnight Mine and then walk the rest of the way up."
But creating a ski resort began with cutting additional runs on Aspen
Mountain and erecting the mountain's first ski lift, known as Lift One. Tenth
Mountain vet Harry Poschman had gone back to Big Bear, Calif., to live
with his wife, Jony, after the war. He found temporary work in 1947 helping
to construct that chairlift in Aspen, while others cut trails on the mountain
by hand, with double-bladed axes.
The Red Onion, circa 1947, when John
litchfield was owner and operator.
(Courtesy Aspen Historical Society)
Click to Enlarae
"It was good work - it got you in shape for the winter," Litchfield said.
As one of about a half-dozen lOth Mountain vets who were in town for the winter of 1946-47, Litchfield also
busied himself hosting out-of-towners who came to Aspen as possible investors for the ski resort, many of them
friends and acquaintances of Chicago businessman Walter Paepcke. Paepcke's wife, Elizabeth, had first seen
Aspen in the late '30s, and brought her husband to town in 1945. But Paepcke was primarily interested in turning
the mountain town into an enclave of intellectual thought and discourse, rather than a ski area.
For the skiing side ofthe town's development, Paepcke turned to Pfeifer. Their collaboration brought in both
skiers to check out the developing resort and developers who might want to invest in property.
"
Left to right, in the garb and gear of
L. hfi Id d h"~ d h f h W'll hb ~ '1 . A the day, are Steve Knowlton, Barney
lte Ie an IS Wile rente a ouse rom tel DUg Y laml Y In speno Mclean, Christopher Berg and John
litchfield. (Courtesy Aspen Historical
Society)
Click to Enlarce
Life in an aging infrastructure
Aspen wasn't exactly a comfortable place when the vets began to move into
town in the mid-'40s. Plenty of old mining buildings and homes had been
abandoned, and although there was a healthy community of locals, vets
found themselves renting drafty homes with potbelly stoves and mining-era
plumbing.
"The buildings were in terrible shape," Litchfield remembered. "Buildings
that had been vacant needed to have their plumbing redone, needed to be
cleaned up with new wiring. The roofs had to be repaired, and there were
rodents. The town was vibrant, but there were not many people there."
"The welcome we received from the local people was unbelievable - there
was a sense of community that, my God, you wouldn't believe. They'd do
anything for us," he said. "Everybody was tired of the war and glad it was
over, and we were glad to be out ofthe service. It was a great time in our lives."
Tenth Mountain vet Bob Parker moved to Aspen in 1947 to become a ski patrolman on Aspen Mountain. He and
his wife rented a rickety house in Aspen's West End for $50 a month. Upstairs was a copper bathtub, but it was
located next to a wall with no insulation. The Parkers would pour boiling water into the tub for bathing, but
during winter the water would be lukewarm or colder by the time they stepped in.
"I went to the hardware store and bought a pair of ice tongs," Parker said. "The water in our toilet would freeze
at night, and so I'd lift it out with tongs and throw it outside. In the spring we had a glacier made of blocks of
ice,"
In 1950 Harry Poschman and his wife, Jony, gave up waiting for snow in Big Bear, Calif., and moved to Aspen,
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where they turned the Main Street building now known as the Copper Horse into the Edelweiss hotel.
"Aspen was truly just a dinky town with dirt roads, except for Highway 82,"
Jony Larrowe said recently. "The war was over, and we were all young and
having first and second babies. We were all broke, so we lived on parties
where we served venison and trout from fishing and hunting, and elk if
you're lucky."
The Poschmans encouraged their guests to take quick showers, since they
had only a 30-gaIlon supply of hot water plumbed to a simple bathtub with a
hose. The charge for one night at the hotel was $3.75 per person with all-
you-can-eat breakfast, or $2.75 if you brought your own sleeping bag.
Young men who couldn't afford much would eat a huge breakfast (Larrowe
remembers one man eating "four eggs, six pancakes, three glasses of milk
and all the toast and jam"), eat potato chips, ketchup and crackers at the
Sundeck for lunch, then pitch in for beer and odds and ends at the Red
Onion for dinner, Larrowe said.
Dick Murphy, Ellie Iselin and Steve
Knowlton at the Golden Horn, 1953.
(Courtesy Aspen Historical Society)
Click to Enlaroe
"The important thing about Aspen then was that it was rough living, but
people who came to Aspen appreciated and expected the rough living," she
said. "They expected skiing, camaraderie, powder and runs."
Even as the years went by, Larrowe remembers constant digging in the
streets as plumbing was improved and extended to new buildings.
"Everything took years and years," she said. "I don't remember any seasons that the streets weren't dug up, and
things weren't added."
Charlie Paterson, who built and owned the Boomerang Lodge in Aspen, moved to town in 1949. He remembers
seeing old miners sitting outside the post office at the Elks Building, waiting for their pension or disability
checks to come in each month.
"People in Aspen were very good about the new people coming to town," Paterson said. "Aspen needed to be
rejuvenated, and those were the waking years - '49 and '50. That's reaIly what's kind of noble about those years -
everybody was trying to promote Aspen."
Hard work and persistence
Beginning a ski resort came with all of the adventures one might expect.
Parker, who served on the ski patrol in those early days, says he and feIlow
10th vet Shady Lane were in charge of avalanche control. The duty included
throwing charges in areas where they thought there would be an avalanche,
"but of course, we missed a lot of them - that was the beginning of that
particular routine for the ski patrol."
In the winter of 1947-48 there were two deaths due to avalanches - Percy
Rideout was with one of the victims during a slide on the back side of the
mountain, and the other victim was a guest who was skiing on the face of
BeIl Mountain. Ski patrolmen dug that guest out before he died, but were
unable to save his life.
Aspen's first ski school in 1946. Left to
right are Chuck Webb, Andy Ransom,
Marshall Fitzgerald, Dick Wright,
Lennie Woods, Percy Rideout, lib
"This was a time when America was probably the most hardworking country Fitzgerald, and Walter Haugg. Not
in the world" Parker said. "We all worked long hours. If you lost a skier pictured but In charge of ski school
, d . ... ' were Friedl Pfeifer and John Litchfield.
you were expecte to spend the mght on the mountam lookmg for him or (Courtesy Aspen Historical Society)
her. If there was an avalanche, you were expected to dig it out. Everyone Click to Enlaroe
was expected to know how to ski, so our abilities with skiing didn't matter.
We were all just doing a job."
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P39
Besides running the inn with his wife, Poschman worked construction for Fritz Benedict, building houses in the
summer, Jony said. He also waited tables in a restaurant owned by Guido Meyer, where the Hickory House now
stands. Poschman, who died in August 2006, even served as a one-man chamber of commerce for the town,
making his own brochures and pursuing ski clubs to visit Aspen.
"As a lodge owner, he had to do it to survive," said his son, Aspen resident Greg Poschman. "There were so
many regular people like him in town who built houses and kept the town g9ing. Paepcke would call the local
business leaders, tell them how much money they needed to cough up to help the town, and my dad had to
collect it."
Litchfield made his financial investment in the town by purchasing the restaurant and bar he renamed the Red
Onion.
"All of the facilities had to be upgraded - the toilets were in awful shape, and we put in a whole new kitchen and
rechinked all of the brick on the outside," Litchfield said of the building that still stands on the Cooper Avenue
mall. "On opening night we had to have four bartenders; the place was packed."
Tenth Mountain vet Steve Knowlton, who died in 1998, likewise had a big influence on the restaurant and bar
scene in those days, opening the Golden Horn in the subgrade space that is now Takah Sushi. He bought the
property on the comer of Cooper Avenue and Mill Street for $1,000, and opened a ski shop on the first floor.
Downstairs in the restaurant, the nightly entertainment was of the slapstick variety.
"Dad ran the restaurant that was really more of a nightclub," said Knowlton's son, Jamie, who is now an Aspen
lawyer. "He brought in the musicians, and it was his idea of making Aspen a nice place to come to, a place to
have fun. My dad was a thespian, a people person. He wasn't like Paepcke who was thinking about how to heal
the world's wounds by creating a think tank; he was finding a different way to contribute to Aspen."
The right people for the job
10th Mountain Division vets ended up all over the country, some creating
ski resorts and others pursuing different dreams. Bill Bowennan became a
track and field coach who co-founded NIKE. Bob Dole went into politics,
eventually becoming U.S. Senate majority leader and a presidential
candidate. Hugh W. Evans became a trustee for the Colorado School of
Mines.
John Tripp, a 10th vet who now lives in Carbondale, says he keeps in touch
with vets from all over the country - New Hampshire, Washington, and
Oregon. A friend from the war once asked Tripp to join him in developing
the ski area at KilIington, Vt., but Tripp declined.
"I didn't want to go to Vennont - at the time, I was pretty well settled in
Aspen, os seen from Aspen M.ountaln, Denver" Tripp said. "We thought about moving to Aspen once and Vail
was a sleepy mountain town In the late ' .. ..' . . .
19405. (Courtesy Aspen Historical once, but thought It wouldn t be the place to bnng up kids. My fnend IS still
Society) up in Vennont and skis every morning."
Click to Enlarae
So what attracted these men to the mountains so strongly that they endured
the tough times in Aspen? What enabled them to build the foundation of to day's thriving resort town?
"I think our experience in the anny taught us hard work, attention to detail,
and plus, that the concept of being in the mountains would somehow bring
us through life," Parker said. "For the most part, we were right. I think the
lOth guys were particularly inured to cold weather, hard work, danger and
focusing on what we were doing in order to stay alive. That helped Aspen, it
helped Vail, and it helped the whole ski industry."
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Parker left Aspen after a couple of years as a ski patroller, eventually
becoming an editor at Skiing magazine. There he finally realized that he
could build a lifestyle on his love of skiing and knowledge of journalism.
Soon after, former Aspen resident and 10th Mountain' vet Pete Seibert
called, offering Parker a job at a new resort he was developing in Colorado,
named Vail. Parker spent the next 25 years there until he retired.
"Building a ski resort was challenging, and it was satisfying because we had
a way to make some money," Litchfield said. "But the interest then wasn't
getting rich. It was making money to support yourself while doing
something that you enjoyed. We were people from all over the country,
engaged in a common endeavor by our own choice, and you were suddenly
free again - free of regimentation, free of combat, and free to live your life
and to do something you looked forward to doing. Work is hard mainly if
you don't like what you're doing."
After being in Aspen for a couple of years, Litchfield moved to Sun Valley
(and sold the Red Onion a couple of years later). He fought in the Korean
war and then went to work marketing chain saws, mowers and other
equipment in the Midwest for 30 years, finally retiring to Denver. Now 89,
he skied until four years ago.
Page 6 of?
Pete Seibert, who would later found
Vail ski area, enjoyed the snow in
Aspen during winter 1946.:.47.
(Courtesy Aspen Historical Society)
Click to Enlarae
"Basically everyone loved the mountains, skied and loved the outdoor life,"
Litchfield said of his 10th Mountain fellows. "I suppose that was a certain
camaraderie basis for it right there, since everyone looked at things in the same way."
Jamie Knowlton echoes those sentiments about his father, Steve. His dad came to Aspen after the war with the
intention of training with Friedl Pfeifer for the Olympics (he competed in the 1948 Games in St. Moritz,
Switzerland) and ended up returning afterward.
"I think during the war everyone lived on a shoestring and was getting by just struggling to make ends meet,"
Knowlton said. "When it ended, there was sort of a new mentality that they were free to go explore and be more
alive. The people in the I Oth knew skiing best, so they spread out all over the country working in ski areas and
resorts since it was an undeveloped industry. There was that potential in skiing to make a living and live the
American dream,lI
Jony Larrowe said the men loved the mountains to the extent that they would do anything to be part of a new,
growing mountain community.
"No one talked about making a fortune, or money, they talked about how big the powder was," she said.
"I think they had a sort of desperation, a love of the mountains that made them forego life in the city," Greg
Poschman said. "They went to this decaying town, and were willing to live with a potbelly stove and hang their
dry socks in front of it so they could ski the next day. But it wasn't all altruistic - some of them were trying to get
ahead.
"They made sacrifices, but they were also reaping rewards. They got the first powder. In the 1950s a friend of
my dad's saw a snowcat on the mountain for the first time. He called my dad and said, 'Come quickly, they're
packing the snow. This is the end.'''
Their legacy lives on
The rest of this story is what you see when you walk around Aspen today - real estate values that show no signs
of decreasing and a ski resort that adds new amenities every season to attract more skiers.
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Page 7 00
P41
"For the most part, my dad was in love with what happened to Aspen, and he wanted to see more," Greg
Poschman said. "He was in awe of the real estate values and felt he had a small part in building this ski resort. I
think he was proud of it."
Interestingly, the young Poschman notes that Walter Paepcke didn't think skiing would work as an industry in
those early days. It was the lowest priority on his list, below all the intellectual and cultural organizations he was
starting.
There was uncertainty among many of the men who were there at the time.
"Henry Stein, one of the Chicago crowd, asked me a hundred times - did I think Aspen was going to go?"
Litchfield recalled. "But we weren't thinking about whether it was going to go. We were there because we
wanted to make it go. My answer was, 'I'm not sure at this point, but I'm happy with what I'm doing.'''
No one foresaw the success of the ski resorts, Parker emphasized. In the late 1940s and early '50s, skiing was
hardly a blip on the radar screen of American sports enthusiasts.
"Because of the Olympics, Squaw Valley was the first Western resort to count 5,000 skiers in one day, and the
first in the east was Mt. Snow in Vennont," Parker said. "We thought that when we founded Vail, we'd be
laughing all the way to the bank the day we have 5,000 skiers. Now tl)ere are 25,000 to 30,000 in Vail, and
probably 20,000 a day in the greater Aspen area."
When Aspen began to grow and change, Paterson said, it was so gradual that no one felt it was suddenly
different. He said the 10th vets should be credited with leaving their businesses and their enthusiasm for Aspen
behind.
"They were responsible for putting Aspen on the map in the early days," he said. "They went out there, created
the energy and 'let's go get it.'''
"It was an ambitious thing that started from almost grassroots," Larrowe said. "Individuals came for more
idealistic reasons than now. There were no vultures waiting for big development to happen. We were just trying
to make our own living - and live the life we wanted. We raised our children in the mountains out of a basic
desire to move here."
A few people now living on the back side of Aspen mountain in rustic cabins may understand what it was like to
make sacrifices for the skiing lifestyle, but "the rest of us are complete softies by comparison," Poschman said.
"How do we preserve that - how do we attract people who have that deep passion for the mountains, and this
landscape? They have to want to live here for that, for the camaraderie of living in the mountains," he said.
Jamie Knowlton said his dad would have had some advice for Aspen's current residents.
"I think he would say, 'Don't lose the spirit of having fun, and being friends with your neighbors. Don't get
sucked into money as the only thing there is, because there's a lot more to life than that.'''
Naomi Havlen's e-mail addressisnhavlen@asventimes.com
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Page 1 of2
Aspen Times News for Aspen Colorado - Aspen Times Weekly Dispatches
Born in 1913 in
Beaver Falls, Pa., he
first felt the thrill of
skiing on homemade
skis in a forest near
r:::;;-':"- his home. In the midst
''- .:"C . ~. , ~ ......- <c-f-"': :...:;.... of the Great
.~. ',j...;~__;tS-'. - Depression at age 18,
" >>:~;~>Io~o... .~. he drove his mother
:/J.,!;:, 1j: ;2:~"? ,4." . ~...<"' and sister cross
Harry 'posch~a""~ t~ain~lng in ~944 ~ith country to California,
the 10th Mountain Division at Cooper where he found a new
Hill, camp Hale, Colo. (EI Jordan home, as well as other
photo) Harry Posch man
Click to Enlarae ardent skiers. A Click to Enlarae
founding member of
the San Diego Ski
Club, he made frequent trips in the Sierra to ski.
Tan TillS
Harry Poschman
Obituary
August 12, 2006
~ Comments (0) ~ Print [8] Email
Harry Poschman, 10th Mountain Division ski trooper,
deep powder skier, 1950s Aspen ski instructor, builder,
photographer and author died peacefully Saturday, Aug. 5,
at his home in Grand Junction. He was 93 years old, and
took pride in living freely and independently with the help
of his neighbors and guardian angels, Odell Powell and
Barbara Link.
Upon hearing ofthe invasion of Pearl Harbor, he enlisted
in the army and eventually became a ski instructor for
Mountain Training Group at Camp Hale. He was a .
sergeant in D Company of the 85th regiment of the lOth
Mountain Division. He led a machine-gun squad through
devastating battles on Italy's Monte Belvedere and Monte
Della Spe, and his company pursued the German army
across the Po River and the Italian countryside to Lake
Garda when the war ended. His experience gave him both
a love of all things Italian and a determination to make
skiing his life.
P43
A.
- --
After the war he was a deep powder skier in Alta, Utah.
He helped build the first chairlift in Aspen in 1947 and
became a true believer in the new ski resort, where he moved in 1950 with his wife, Jony. Like many, he held an
assortment of jobs, including picking potatoes, building houses, ski instructor for the Aspen Ski School and
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P44
Page 2 of2
operating the Edelweiss Lodge (on the site of the Hotel Lenado), which he built in Aspen.
Harry developed his own flexible powder ski by running anny issue 7-foot-6 wooden skis through a plane to
make them thin and flexible. Invited to test the new metal Head skis, he preferred his handmade "Flip Flop
Boards," He taught many clients the secrets of powder skiing. Although he stopped skiing many years ago, he
gleefully spoke of floating through deep powder snow on Short Snort, his favorite run on Aspen Mountain, as if
he had just returned from the hill.
He operated the one-man Aspen Chamber of Commerce in the 1950s, enthusiastically touting Aspen's charms to
ski clubs across the country. He authored and photographed two manuscripts of his adventures in Europe. His
personal history of the lOth Mountain Division, "A Skier's War," will be published this fall.
He is survived by his daughter, Christie Interlante of Aspen, his sons and their wives, Hap and Patti Poschman
of Palisade, and Greg and Maureen Poschman of Aspen, and his beloved granddaughters, Isabella and Willow
Poschman.
A memotial service will take place in the fall.
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Aspen Times News for Aspen Colorado - News
TIII_ Till
A life shaped by skiing, war
Early Aspen skier Harry Posch man dies
By Chad Abraham
August 8, 2006
As Nazi shells exploded around him at the end of World
War II, longtime Aspenite Harry Poschman thought of
skiing.
The lOth Mountain Division veteran had two goals, one
immediate, the other long term. The first was to keep the
men under him and himself alive as a desperate Germany
pounded the U.S. ski troopers' positions in the Apennine
Mountains of northern Italy.
Page 1 of2
A.
P45
Harry Poschman
training in 1944 with
the 10th Mountain
Division at Cooper
Hill, Camp Hale, Colo.
Poschman died
Saturday. (EI Jordan
photo)
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Click to Enlarae
Browse ASDen Times Photos
The other goal was to dedicate his life to skiing. Poschman,
who died Saturday in Grand Junction at the age of 93, accomplished both.
"His whole thing was, 'I'm going to survive this war so I can ski,'" said his son, Greg, an Aspen filmmaker. "I
think he was just grateful that he managed to keep those guys alive. Nobody in his squad was killed."
After the war, which Greg said "completely shaped" his father's life, those men and women "didn't want
anything to do with the real world. They wanted to ski," he said.
Harry "was somebody who did not appreciate authority," his son said. "He was his own man" who was dedicated
to enjoying life after experiencing so much death and destruction in the war.
And so Harry joined the first generation of skiers to come to Aspen. Commuting between here and Alta, Utah,
where he was a ski patroller, Poschman helped build Aspen Mountain's first chairlift.
"He was up there turning wrenches and hauling cable," Greg said.
Even at 93, Poschman would "cackle with glee" when recalling the thrill of skiing powder on military-issue
planks that were 7.5 feet long.
"They were huge and they were thick, probably because [the military] was worried about them breaking," Greg
said. "They were a pain to ski on."
So Harry shaved the skis down to make them thinner and more flexible in deep snow. He also built and operated
the Edelweiss Lodge, was a homebuilder and a real estate agent, and a ski instructor in the Friedl Pfeifer ski
school, Aspen Mountain's first. He taught many Aspenites the joy of making deep-powder turns.
Harry Poschman was born in 1913 in Beaver Falls, Pa. His first skiing experience came on homemade planks
that he used to explore a forest near his home. During the Depression, the I 8-year-old Harry moved to San
Diego and became a founding member of the city's ski club. The group made frequent ski trips to the Sierras.
After Pearl Harbor, Harry enlisted and became a ski instructor in the U.S. Army's Mountain Training Group at
Camp Hale near Leadville. As a sergeant in the 10th Mountain Division, he led a machine-gun squad through
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P46
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pitched battles on Italy's Mount Belvedere and pursued German forces across the Po River.
The experience also gave Harry a love for all things Italian.
After arriving in Aspen, he became a one-man chamber of commerce in the 1950s and enthusiastically touted the
town's charms to ski clubs around the country.
Harry is survived by his daughter, Christie Interlante, of Aspen; his sons and their wives, Hap and Patti
Posclunan, of Palisade, and Greg and Maureen Posclunan, of Aspen; and granddaughters Isabella and Willow
Posclunan, of Aspen.
Greg is completing" A Skier's War," the memoir his father was working on, of his wartime experience, when he
died. The book, with many original photos, will be published this fall.
A memorial service is also planned this fall.
Chad Abraham's e-mail addressischad@aspentimes.com.
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ASPEN'S 20tb CENTURY ARCIDTECTURE:
CHALET STYLE BUILDINGS
~.
P47
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When the bottom fell out of the silver mining industry in 1893, Aspenites considered
resuscitating the economy by capitalizing on the town's inherent beauty in an effort to attract
tourists to the valley. However, it was not until almost 40 years later, at a time when skiing as a
recreational sport was beginning to take hold in the United States, that Aspen found its true
calling.
Tom Flynn, Billy Fiske, and Ted Ryan were among the first to acknowledge Aspen's
potential as a premier ski resort and were the principal investors in the Highland Bavarian Lodge,
a Chalet Style structure built in the Castle Creek Valley in 1936. The development of the
Highland Bavarian Lodge was the first attempt to emulate European resorts, a trend that would
continue for over thirty years (well into the 1960's) as the town tried to prove its legitimacy to
tourists, and compete with famous destinations such as St. Mortiz and Chamonix.
The idea of creating a ski area in the United States that mimicked the look and character
of European resorts was being discussed by another town at the time as well. Sun Valley, the
first destination ski resort in North America, was the brainchild of Averell Harriman, who sought
to imitate Swiss and Austrian villages. The Challenger Ski Lodge, built at Sun Valley in 1937,
was also modeled after the European Chalet Style. Architect Gilbert Stanley was asked to design
"something like a Tyrolean village."] Using the imagery of the Alps was considered by some to
be important to the success of the new resorts, in effect, subtly suggesting that America's slopes
could rival Europe's. Harriman was disappointed with Stanley's initial design, so he then asked
Hollywood art director Ernst Fegte to design a Tyrolean fa9ade. The resulting building was
painted to resemble a cluster of chalets, and was later used as the set for Claudette Colbert's
movie Swiss Ski Adventure?
Highland Bavarian Lodge, built in 1936
The development of the Highland
Bavarian Lodge in Aspen was not unlike the
example in Sun Valley, albeit on a much
smaller scale, and without the Idaho resort's
immediate success. The earliest tourism
promotions for Aspen appealed to one's sense
of adventure and the ruggedness of the Rocky
Mountains-boasting of hunting, fishing and
seclusion. However, the Lodge's brochure,
penned by humoris.t Robert Benchley in 1936,
took on more international flair and stated,
"Aspen, Colorado is a place where you can
indulge in winter sports without having to get a
passport, wrestle with the Atlantic, stop in Paris
at the expense of your health, and come all the
] Wendolyn Spence Holland, Sun Vallev: An Extraordinary Historv. 230.
2
Holland, 230.
1
P48
way back again.,,3 Benchley's brochure for the lodge went on to say 'l'ou can have just as good
a time falling down there as you can on any of the European slopes." Benchley also assured
potential clients that the snow in America was as good as any place in Europe. The lodge itself
consisted of a dining room and living room heated by a big fireplace, and two double-decker
bunkrooms that could accommodate sixteen people. 5 The building was nestled in a picturesque
setting and designed by architect Gordon Kauffman. Jimmy Bodrero, an artist from the Disney
Studios, created the decorative motif. (Involvement of individuals from the movie industry with
the design elements in both Sun Valley and Aspen suggested the importance, from the outset, of
creating a specific European-like mountain "scene" in these emerging ski towns.)
The effort to create a ski area around the Highland Bavarian drew to Aspen the first of
the European ski specialists who saw striking similarities in terrain to the Alps. Andre Roch, a
Swiss avalanche expert, and Dr. Gunther Langes, an Italian, were hired to spend a year exploring
the Aspen area to determine the best location for skiing. The Highland Bavarian Lodge investors
sought legitimacy for their project by consulting with the well known Europeans. Roch asserted
that the mountains immediately surrounding the town were insufficient, and he and Langes
eventually settled on the upper Castle Creek Valley, where the ghost town of Ashcroft is located,
and Mt. Hayden rises above the valley. Roch envisioned Ashcroft's transformation into a Swiss
village. Historian Anne Gilbert writes, "Andre Roch had found the perfect place to develop a ski
resort. He knew that the Americans in the 1930's were interested in skiing and they would pay
to ski at a resort reminiscent of the A1ps.,,6
The personal records of Ted Ryan included a plan for a Swiss-style village, and series of
trams to shuttle skiers up to the top of the surrounding mountains. But the dream of the Swiss
village at Ashcroft died with the onset of World War II, and with the death of Billy Fiske, who
was killed in action. It was revived for a short time after the War- the vision changed to a new,
Hollywood inspired "Wild West" village- but plans were eventually scrapped altogether, The
focus of ski resort development in the Roaring Fork Valley shifted, instead, from Castle Creek to
Aspen Mountain, where the first "Boat Tow" had been built in 1937 (modeled after those used at
Kitzb1ih1, Austria), and where Roch had laid out Aspen's first ski run.
Europe's stylistic influence on America's destination resorts went beyond physical layout
and design of the buildings, however. Along with technical authorities such as Roch, American
resorts recruited top ski instructors from Europe in the 1930's and 1940's, which, given the
political turmoil of Europe, proved less than difficult. In fact, all of Sun Valley's first instructors
were Austrian, and wore Tyrolean uniforms.
th
Many of the same ski instructors later joined the 10 Mountain Division, an elite
mountaineering division of the United States Army, which led to their discovery of Aspen on
weekend leaves from the training base at Camp Hale (near Leadville). After the war, many
veterans returned to the area, among them Friedl Pfeifer, a talented and well-known skier from
3
Robert Benchley, "How to Aspen," 1936.
4
Benchley
5 Anne Gilbert, Re-creation Through Recreation: Aspen Skiingfrom ]870 to ] 970, 17.
6 Gilbert, 22.
2
P49
St. Anton, Austria. Pfeifer had run the Tyrolean influenced ski school at Sun Valley prior to the
War, but moved to Aspen at the end of the War to help create a resort in the area that reminded
him most of home. In his memoirs, Nice Goin': Mv Life on Skis, Pfeifer recalls his first
impression of Aspen: "The mountain peaks looming over the town made me feel like I was
returning to St. Anton.,,7
Elli's of Aspen
The Aspen Skiing Corporation, which
Pfeifer co-founded in 1946 with Walter Paepke,
differed fundamentally in its design philosophy
from Sun Valley, primarily due to the direction of
Chicago industrialist Walter Paepcke, and artist
Herbert Bayer, who was the architect of many of
the first Ski Company's first buildings. The
Bauhaus style favored by these men did not lend
itself to the design of chalets. Nevertheless,
Pfeifer's association with Aspen helped to give it
an international flair, which attracted a number of
Europeans to move here after the war.
Several of these individuals, including
Fred and Elli Iselin, opened small businesses in
town and applied the Chalet influences
reminiscent of their hometowns to their
buildings. Businesses such as Epicure, served
up European pastries. Elli' s of Aspen sold fine
European ski clothing, located in a Victorian
building across from the Hotel Jerome for four
decades, and quickly established Aspen as a
sophisticated ski town. Elli' s fayade was
decorated with ski figures and edelweiss, again
reinforcing the Tyrolean influence in Aspen.
Similarly, according to a 1954 Aspen Times
article, The Little Nell Cafe, a modest log cabin
located slope side on Aspen Mountain, was
decorated with a coat of arms representing the
states of Switzerland.8 The owner, a Swiss
immigrant, was honoring his homeland with the
designs on the exterior fayade. Additionally, of course, lodges were the building type that
employed the Chalet style most commonly, and even residents who were not recently
immigrated from Europe incorporated the style into their properties.
.f' '. '::~;It~7~ . .
,""..... .-"",1:. ,'-
-l.~.,:_i"~""if;;:;:;;;~;(!::,
02:'"
The Prospector Lodge, 301 E. Hyman
Avenue, built in 1947,since demolished and
replaced
7 Friedl Pfeifer, Mv Life on Skis, Ill.
8Aspen Times, January 14, 1954,4.
3
P50
Comparisons to European ski resorts were also
evident in advertising. Sun Valley's brochures boasted of
Austrian ski instructors and appealed to elite visitors who
traveled both by train and plane. The Aspen Chamber of
Commerce's advertising throughout the 1950's and
1960's had this character as well. In a brochure
promoting lodging and accommodations, the Norway
Lodge notes "the intimacy and charm of an old world irm,
at Aspen's No.1 chair1ift.,,9 In the same brochure the
Skiers Chalet and Steak House and Edelweiss also
emphasize their "chalet" accommodations. In a multi-
page pamphlet, entitled "Aspen, Wonderful Ski Town,"
created
by the
Chamber, there are several passages that
emphasize Aspen as an international resort
with a European flavor. "In fact," the
brochure states on the opening page, "Aspen
knows few rivals. No European resort today
can advertise a larger, more elaborate, more
luxurious ski village right at the foot of the
slopes."lO Several pages later, when
discussing Aspen's nightlife, the brochure
claims, "It has been said that Aspen's
reputation as a ski-and-fun town rivals, indeed
overshadows, that of the most celebrated
European ski resorts."ll
'-~
The Norway Lodge, built in 1954
Skier's Chalet, 710 S. Aspen Street, built
in 1955
Perhaps "Aspen, Wonderful Ski Town" best summarized Aspen's
1950's international design character: "Modern Aspen is a study in
architectural contrasts, ranging from Swiss baroque to contemporary
American.,,12 Promoting Aspen's varied architectural styles further
emphasizes the importance and influence of the Chalet style in our
town's history. Unlike Vail (which created a later Hollywood "scene" as
a Tyrolean village) the early Western American ski resort towns like Sun
Valley and Aspen were an eclectic mix of Chalets, Rustic Style
buildings, and Victorian structures from the 19th and early 20th century
mining and ranching days. Fortunately for Aspen, Chalet Style
buildings from the post-War period still exist today. The lodges,
Mountain Chalet, built in 1958
9"Lodging and Accommodations" brochure, Written Material File: Tourism 1950s and 1960s, HeritageAspen
Archives.
lOAspen, Wonderful Ski Town, Pamphlet, Written Material File: Tourism 1950s and I 960s, HeritageAspen Archives.
llAspen, Wonderful Ski Town, 12
12Aspen, Wonderful Ski Town, 21
4
P51
many of which still personify European warmth and hospitality, exemplify the social and
architectural history of the community as it began developing into an international ski resort,
Who knew that in 1936, the Highland Bavarian Lodge, the only structure built in Aspen
in the wake of the Silver Crash in 1893, would influence a design period in which an imported
style would take hold? Aspen's post-War Chalet Style
lodges included The Prospector (built in 1947, and
since demolished), the Norway Lodge (1954), Skier's
Chalet (1955), the Holland House (1956), and
Mountain Chalet (1958). Guido's Restaurant (1951)
was the best example of a downtown building in the
Chalet style, but unfortunately, was demolished before
the style could be recognized as an important part of
our heritage. Classic examples of the style built as
residences well into the 1960's, also still remain.
Eligibility Considerations
949 W Smuggler Street, built in
1946
There are specific physical features that a property must possess in order for it to reflect
the significance of the historic context. The characteristics of the Chalet Style, whose origins in
Europe date from the 1700's, include: moderately shallow roof pitches, horizontal design
elements, prominent wood balconies with cut-out railings, and decorative bargeboard trim.
Delicate painted details are sometimes found on the bargeboards, and on wall surfaces.
Sometimes the buildings will have applied half timbering. The best of Aspen's remaining
examples of this important style exemplify these classic features.
Cresta Haus, East Cooper Avenue, since
altered
Paint color also plays an important role
in this style. Typically, the body of the building
is dark brown, and trim is painted in a light
color, or the reverse; white walls with dark
stained or painted trim. Primary exterior
materials are stucco and wood.
To be eligible for historic designation, a
chalet style building in Aspen should exhibit the
following distinctive characteristics:
. A large singular roof form, generally low in
slope, with the ridge running along the short
dimension of the structure. This ropf usually
covers the entire structure without interruption.
The eave of the roof usually comes down to a
low plate height at the upper level of the
5
P52
structure. In some residential structures, the upper level only exists under the roof structure
with no side walls.
. Deep overhangs with the structure of the roof expressed on the underside, eaves and rakes
decorated with cutouts and fretwork bargeboards. The peak is generally highlighted by a
larger decorative element hanging downward.
. The footprint of the building is usually rectangular with few deviations from that geometry as
the structures go up.
. Continuous porches running the circumference of the structure, or at least the length of the
primary side.
. Decorative elements, usually two dimensional, such as balustrades of vertical boards spaced
apart having cutouts providing both a positive and negative shape. Shapes are generally
hearts, edelweiss, snowflakes, or other decorative themes from nature.
. The structures usually sit on a white stucco base, up to the second floor. This base may have
vertical or battered walls. Openings in this area are generally minimal, with wood lintels.
. Above the stucco base, vertical siding extends to the roof line. The edge of the siding against
the stucco base is usually decorative as well. Vertically staggering the siding creates a
scalloped edge. At times, the floor structure extends through the wall with decorative ends
engaging the stucco.
. Windows are generally horizontally proportioned and are used sparingly. They are sliders or
casements, with a center mullion. Shutters and flower boxes are used to decorate the window
openings. These elements have similar detailing to the balustrades.
. Colors are restricted to the white of the stucco base, the dark brown of the wood walls, eaves,
balustrades, etc. Bright colors are used sparingly to accent the eaves and balustrades and
other decorative elements. Murals and painted decorative details are sometimes found on the
stucco surface.
The period of historic significance for this style, which is a term used to define the time span
during which the style gained architectural, historical, or geographical importance, can be
defined as approximately 1946 to the mid 1960's. After that, the connection to the character-
defining features described seems to break down. The decoration is toned down considerably,
and the upper floors are not clad in wood siding. Similarly, the examples of chalet structures that
have been built recently, which are relatively few in number, employ a more eclectic
combination of details and architectural features inconsistent with the earlier examples discussed
in this paper.
6
P53
Base of Aspen Mountain
^'\1j~D:S
~""'''!:'.
Guido's Restaurant
7
P54
Guido 's- Interior
Mountain Chalet
8
Lift 1
P55
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aspen Times, January 14, 1954.
"Aspen, Wonderful Ski Town." Pamphlet. Written Material File: Tourism 1950s and 1960s,
HeritageAspen.
Benchley, Robert. "How to Aspen." Pamphlet. Written Material File: Skiing: Aspen, History,
HeritageAspen,
Gilbert, Anne M. Re-Creation Through Recreation: Aspen Skiing From 1870 to 1970.
1995. Aspen Historical Society, Aspen, Colorado.
Holland, Wendolyn Spence. Sun Valley; An Extraordinary Historv. San Fran:cisco: Palace Press
International, 1998.
"Lodging and Accommodations." Brochure. Written Material File: Tourism 1950s and 1960s,
HeritageAspen.
National Register of Historic Places, Multiple Property Documentation Form, Historic Resources
of Aspen (MRA) (amemdment), "Ski Development Resources of Aspen," Roxanne Eflin,
1989.
Pfeifer, Friedl and Morton Lund. Nice Goin'; My Life on Skis. Missoula; Pictorial Histories
Publishing Inc., 1993.
9
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APPLICATION FOR BUILDING PERMIT
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TO THE CITY OF ASPEN
Aspen, Colorado
c.
The undersigned hereby requests permission to perform and do the
work, repairs, construction, alteration or development hereinafter
described and further agrees to do said work in accordance with this
application and in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted
herewith. This application is made with the specific understanding that
it is subject to suspension or revocation for failure to comply with the
terms or conditions upon which it is approved. 'I
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Location: Lot" P& 0 U '..>. , Block 11'
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Description of Structure: (Specify width, length, square feet, type of
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Intended Use and Purpose:
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Estimated Cost of Construction:
Distance from lot lines: N--15'
Name of Contractor or Builder:
Name and Address of Owner:
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subject to the following conditions:
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INTEGRITY ASSESSMENT-CHALET -
Integrity is the ability of a property to convey its significance.
. LOCATION Location is the place where the historic property was constructed
or the place where the historic event occurred.
5 - The structure is in its original location.
3 - The structure has been moved within the original site but still maintains
the original alignment and proximity to the street.
o -The structure has been moved to a location that is dissimilar to its original
site.
TOTAL POINTS (maximum of 5) = 5
. DESIGN Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plan,
space, structure, and style of a property.
BUILDING FORM
10 - The original plan form, based on authenticating documentation, is still
intact.
6 - The plan form has been altered, but the addition would meet the design
guidelines.
o - Alterations and/or additions to the building are such that the original form
of the structure is obscured.
Staff Response: 6- the original plan has been altered for a minor expansion.
ROOF FORM
1 0 -The original roof form is unaltered.
6 - Additions have been made that alter roof form that would meet the
current design guidelines.
o -Alterations to the roof have been made that obscure its original form.
Staff Response: 5- there is a roof addition at the rear of the property that
impacts the gable roofform.
SCALE
5 - The original scale and proportions of the building are intact.
3 - The building has been expanded but the scale of the original portion is
intact and the addition would meet the design guidelines.
0- The scale of the building has been negatively affected by additions or
alterations.
P60
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Staff Response: 3- the building has been expanded to the south.
~
DOORS AND WINDOWS
10- The original door and window pattern are intact.
8- Some of the doors and windows are new but the original openings are
intact.
4- More than 50% of the doors or windows have been added and/or the
original opening sizes have been altered.
0- Most of the original door and window openings have been altered.
Staff Response: 8- the doors and windows appear to be intact.
EXTERIOR BALCONIES AND W ALKW A YS
5- The exterior balconies, walkways and their decorative form are intact.
3- The exterior balconies and walkways have been enclosed but maintain an
open character and some original materials.
1- The exterior balconies and walkways have been enclosed or most original
materials are gone.
0- Original exterior balconies and walkways are gone.
Staff Response: 3- The exterior balconet is evident on the north fa~ade.
CHARACTER-DEFINING FEATURES
5- The form and features that define the Chalet style are intact.
3- There are minor alterations to the form and features that define the Chalet
style.
1- There have been major alterations to the form and features that define the
Chalet style.
Staff Response: 3- There are minor alterations to the form and features of the
Chalet style.
TOTAL POINTS (maximum of 45) = 28
. SETTING Setting is the physical environment of a historic property.
5- The physical surroundings are similar to that found when the structure was
originally constructed.
3- There are minor modifications to the physical surroundings.
0- The physical surroundings detract from the historic character of the building.
TOTAL POINTS (maximum of 5) = 3- the neighborhood context has
changed.
P61
. MATERIALS Materials are the physical elements that were combined or
deposited during a particular period of time and in a particular pattern or
configuration to form a historic property.
EXTERIOR SURFACES
15- The original combination 'of exterior wall materials and the decorative trim
materials are intact
10- There have been minor changes to the original combination of exterior
wall materials and the decorative trim materials, but the changes have
been made in a manner that conforms with the design guidelines.
5- There have been major changes to the original combination of exterior
wall materials and the decorative trim materials.
0- All exterior materials have been removed or replaced.
Staff Response: 15- The original materials of stucco and wood remain intact.
DOORS AND WINDOWS
lO-All or most of the original doors and windows units are intact.
5- Some of the original door and window units have been replaced but the
new units would meet the design guidelines.
0- Most of the original door and window units have been replaced with units
that would not meet design guidelines.
Staff Response: 10- most of the doors and windows are intact.
TOTAL POINTS (maximum of 25) = 25
. WORKMANSHIP Workmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts of a
particular culture or people during any given period in history or prehistory.
DETAILING AND ORNAMENTATION
15- Original detailing and ornamentation is intact
10- There have been some alterations or loss of the original detailing and
alteration.
5-Some detailing is discernible such that it contributes to its understanding
its stylistic category
Staff Response: 13- Most of the original detailing seems intact.
FINISHES & COLOR SCHEME
5- The finishes and color scheme that define the Chalet style are intact
3- There have been minor alterations to the finishes and color scheme that
define the Chalet style.
2- There have been substantial alterations to the finishes and color scheme
that define the Chalet style.
P62
Staff Response: 5- the color scheme and finishes are intact.
TOTAL POINTS (maximum of20)= 18
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF POINTS= 100
MINIMUM THRESHOLD FOR DESIGNATION= 75 POINTS
THE TOTAL SCORE IS 79 POINTS, WHICH QUALIFIES 827 DEAN STREET FOR
DElSGNA nON,
Note: Each area of the integrity analysis includes a description ofthe circumstances
that might be found and a point assignment. However the reviewer may choose
another number within the point range to more accurately reflect the specific
property.
Page 1 of2
Community Planning
City of Aspen
Aspen, Colorado
RECEIVED
P63
v Z 4 2DU5
f-
RE: Block 113, Lots P and Q
Aspen Townsite
ASPEN
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
To whom it may concem,
My husband and I purchased the chalet at 827 Dean Sl., then known as Le Petit Chalet Enzien, in 1963. It
had been built by Harry Poschman and he was also the realtor who sold it to us for around $28,000. Our
address at that time was 826 Waters and the neighboring houses at that time faced a dirt road that was to be a
continuation of Waters Sl. For some reason, the street wasn't completed and Glory Hole Park (and Midland
and Little Nell Condominiums) took its place. The alley behind our houses was eventually given the name of
Dean St.
Our chalet was rustic and cute and very small, with a miniscule kitchen, living room too small for a dining table,
two tiny bedrooms and one bath. As small as it was, we had a New Years party every year, and even
some house guests from time to time. We renamed our little vacation home, Le Petit Chalet Blanc, and
enjoyed it as a vacation home for years.
In about 1982, we decided that we really needed some more room, All of our friends and neighbors were so
concemed that the remodel would ruin the charm of the little chalet, but we proceeded carefully...not wanting to
lose the charm, either. We hired a local architect and a local contractor to carefully remodel and gain us more
room. After the completion of the work, we continued to have just two bedrooms, but gained a second bath and
more space in the living room and kitchen.
The house continues to be unique in Aspen, including the orientation to the mountain. It may be the only house
in the Townsite of Aspen that is set at an angle in the 10Lin order to directly view Aspen Mt. Harry Poschman
decided to build it in that spot and we like it that way. It is also unique in that it is one of the few chalets left in
Aspen. There used to be several post war chalets within a block's radius of our house. Harry visited me (I now
reside full-time in Aspen) with his daughter just a couple of months before his death in August of this year, the
day before my husband, Fleet lMlite, passed away. It was good to see Harry Poschman again, and he was
happy to see that the house that he built was still here.
Aspen is going through many changes. Much of this progress has brought some wonderful additions to our
town. However, much of the character of Aspen is being lost. Sometimes it seems that everything old is being
tom down, with the exception of historically protected properties. Some of these things may not be missed, but
soon every house in Aspen will be a 6,000 sq.ft. house or townhouse. Everything will look alike in every
neighborhood in Aspen. It would be nice to occasionally see chalets, log cabins, farm houses, as well as
Victorians, to continue to keep the feeling of our old mountain town.
To that end, I would like to volunteer that Le Petit Chalet Blanc (also known as "The Christmas House")
become a historic landmark. I wouid like to know that the charming chalet that was built more than 50 years
ago, and that we have enjoyed for 43 years, will be something that people will continue to enjoy. lMlen I am
outside raking or sweeping eway snow, almost everyone walking by (tourists and locals) tell me how cute it is
or even that it's their favorite house in Aspen. It would be missed so much, if it was to just become another big
trophy house. I would like to leave that legacy to Aspen and have our home remain a little chalet, Le Petit
Chalet. Blanc.
Sincerely,
Nyla (Mrs. Fleet) lMlite
827 Dean St.
Aspen, Colorado
81611
925-2693
Thursday, October 12, 2006 America Online: Aspemea1estate
Page 10f2
P64
Sara Adams
From: Aspenrealestate@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 1:00 PM
To: Sara Adams
Subject: Re: 827 Dean
RE: PHOTOS OF 827 DEAN. ALL WE REALLY HAVE IS GENERALLY WHAT I SENT YOU...ANY OTHER
PHOTOS WOULD BE JUST OTHER PHOTOS SHOWING THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE. I ALSO HAVE
PHOTOS SHOWING THE INTERIOR (DURING CHRISTMAS, ETC.) OR THE BACK YARD.
THE HOUSE WAS ORIGINALLY A TWO BEDROOM ONE BATH CHALET. IT IS NOW TWO BEDROOMS,
TWO BATHS WITH AN EXPANDED LIVING ROOM AND KITCHEN. ALSO, THE ROOF OVERHANG AREA
TO THE "FRONT DOOR" WAS ENCLOSED TO MAKE AN ENTRY HALL.
THE ORIGINAL FRONT DOOR WAS AT THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HOUSE WHERE WATERS STREET
WAS SUPPOSED TO CONTINUE. FOR SOME REASON, INSTEAD OF THE PLANNED STREET, GLORY
HOLE PARK WAS PUT THERE, WHICH IS WHY OUR HOUSE AND OUR NEIGHBOR'S (BRUCE
PARLETTE) HOUSE HAVE THEIR FRONT DOORS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LOT...ON THE WRONG
SIDE, AWAY FROM THE STREET. OUR HOUSE, AFTER THE REMODEL, STILL HAS THE FRONT
ALIGNMENT TO THE SOUTH AND FACING GLORY HOLE PARK.
THE HOUSE TO THE EAST OF OUR CHALET (NOW THE WINTERHAVEN CONDOMINIUMS) WAS A
CHALET ALSO BUILT BY HARRY POSCHMAN. IT AND ALL THE HOUSES ON THE STREET WERE
ORIENTED TO WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WATERS STREET. THE ORIGINAL ADDRESS OF OUR
HOUSE WAS 826 WATERS ST., UNTIL THE ALLEY WAS GIVEN THE NAME DEAN ST. SINCE THEN, THE
ADDRESS HAS BEEN 827 DEAN.
SOME OTHER TRIVINlNFO
WHEN MY PARENTS BOUGHT THE HOUSE IN ABOUT 1963, IT WAS RENTED BY A SKI INSTRUCTOR.
WE COULDN'T USE THE HOUSE UNTIL HIS LEASE WAS UP.
FROM TIME TO TIME WE HAVE FOUND RAIL ROAD SPIKES IN THE YARD. THERE WERE ORIGINALLY
SEVERAL RAIL ROAD TRACKS GOING THROUGH THE AREA BETWEEN DURANT AND GLORY HOLE
PARK. A CENTURY AGO A TRAIN SANK INTO THE GLORY HOLE WHERE THE PARK NOW IS.
THE ORIGINAL HOUSE WAS CALLED LE PETIT CHALET ENZIEN. MY PARENTS RENAMED IT LE PETIT
CHALET BLANC. IT WAS DONE IN THE SWISS STYLE WITH WHITE PAINTED MASONRY AND STONE
AT THE BASE. THE STONE IS THE SAME AND THE HOUSE IS STILL MASONRY AND SWISS STYLE
WITH SHUTTERS AND WINDOW BOXES,L1KE THERE WERE BEFORE.
FRIENDS DIDN'T WANT MY PARENTS TO DO ANYTHING TO THE HOUSE. EVERYONE LOVED IT AS IT
WAS AND WERE SO CONCERNED THAT IT WOULDN'T BE THE SAME. BUT, EVERYONE LOVES IT
JUST AS MUCH AND PEOPLE WHO WALK BY TELL MY MOTHER THAT IT'S THEIR FAVORITE HOME IN
ASPEN.
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY ASKED THAT IT BE ON THEIR TOUR OF HOMES ONE YEAR. THEY NAMED
IT THE "CHRISTMAS HOUSE". THE NAME HAS STUCK.
I'LL LOOK SOME MORE FOR PHOTOS, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THERE ARE ANY OTHERS FROM THE
PAST SHOWING ANY OTHER VIEWS.
LAN I
3/14/2007
fOo
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//
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P66
CITY OF ASPEN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Agreement for Payment of City of Aspen Development Application Fees
CITY OF ASPEN (hereinafter CITY) and !'l 'I L-A M ~ Curl! ~
(hereinafter APPLICANT) AGREE AS FOLLOWS:
1. APPLICANT has submitted to CITY an application for
'is'],, uta,.,...., ">T ~fE.i-J Ce
(hereinafter, TIIE PROJECT).
2. APPLICANT understands and agrees that City of Aspen Ordinance No. 57
(Series of 2000) establishes a fee structure for Land Use applications and the payment of
all processing fees is a condition precedent to a determination of application
completeness.
3. APPLICANT and CITY agree that because of the size, nature or scope of
the proposed project, it is not possible at this time to ascertain the full extent of the costs
involved in processing the application. APPLICANT and CITY further agree that it is in
the interest of the parties that APPLICANT make payment of an initial deposit and to
thereafter permit additional costs to be billed to APPLICANT on a monthly basis.
APPLICANT agrees additional costs may accrue following their hearings and/or
approvals. APPLICANT agrees he will be benefited by retaining greater cash liquidity
and will make additional payments upon notification by the CITY when they are
necessary as costs are incurred. CITY agrees it will be benefited through the greater
certainty ofrecovering its full costs to process APPLICANT'S application.
4. CITY and APPLICANT further agree that it is impracticable for CITY
staff to complete processing or present sufficient information to the Planning
Commission and/or City Council to enable the Plarming Commission and/or City Council
to make legally required findings for project consideration, unless current billings are
paid in full prior to decision.
5. Therefore, APPLICANT agrees that in consideration of the CITY's waiver
of its right to collect full fees prior to a determination of application completeness,
APPLICANT shall pay an initial deposit in the amount of$ which is for
hours of Community Development staff time, and if actual recorded costs exceed
the initial deposit, APPLICANT shall pay additional monthly billings to CITY to
reimburse the CITY for the processing of the application mentioned above, including
post approval review at a rate of$220.00 per p1armer hour over the initial deposit. Such
periodic payments shall be made within 30 days of the billing date. APPLICANT further
agrees that failure to pay such accrued costs shall be grounds for suspension of
processing, and in no case will building permits be issued until all costs associated with
case processing have been paid.
HET AlH FOR PERMANfHT RECORD
P67
CITY OF ASPEN
By:
Chris Bendon
Community Development Director
Date:
1/ In /a~~~
'1'1 (J '1 'Z. -:> '1 'f (, ~r
<11-0;;- Z-t.'\3
Bill To Mailing Address and
l.J:r", J Lv J,h \'If.
?_o- i>cf. 10ZJ
f>.6Pe r-:> Co ?10l2...---
Telephone Number:
g:\suppo.t\forms\agrpayas.doc
02/01/06
.
THE CITY OF ASPEN
Land Use Application
Pro. ect:
Name:
Location:
I~
~E:
wcl~ 1\ UJ f' 11
Indicate street address, lot & block number or metes and bounds
description of ~rty) -
I Parcel ill # I UIRED) 21,1' 3 2- S f5l17i j
"L/:;
PG.T' r- c
(..4N"C ·
(.u Ii 1l""'C - D ~c.eA5"'G D
. E-mail:
Fax#: ~ 'LS- '1-" "lL
E-mail:
Aa / - C{jh..,
RETAIN FOR ~EP~"'M:~~""T RFCORi)
P68
Conceptual Historic Development -Final Historic Development -Substantial Amendment
Relocation
(temporary, on or off-site) Demolition (total demolition) Historic Landmark Lot Split
osed bui1din s, uses, modifications, etc.
Fees Due: $
General Information
Please check the appropriate boxes below and submit this page along with your
application. This information will help us review your plans and, if necessary.
coordinate with other agencies that may be involved.
YES NO
D ~ Does the work you are planning include exterior work; including
additions, demolitions, new construction, remodeling, rehabilitation or
restoration?
D W Does the work you are planning include interior work; including
remodeling, rehabilitation, or restoration?
D [B"" Do you plan other future changes or improvements that could be reviewed
at this time?
'1
D
eyI In addition to City of Aspen approval for a Certificate of Appropriateness
or No Negative Effect and a building permit, are you seeking to meet the
Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation or restoration of a
National Register of Historic Places property in order to qualify for state
or federal tax credits?
D
D
If yes, are you seeking federal rehabilitation investment tax credits
RETAIN FOR PERMANfNT RECORD
P69
in conjunction with this project? (Dilly income producing
properties listed on the National Register are eligible. Owner-
occupied residential properties are not.)
7
IV"
o
If yes, are you seeking the Colorado State Income Tax Credit for
Historical Preservation?
Please check all City of Aspen Historic Preservation Benefits which you plan to use:
o Rehabilitation Loan Fund 0 Conservation Easement Program 0 Dimensional
'7 Variances 0 Increased Density 0 Historic Landmark Lot Split 0 Waiver of Park
Dedication Fees 0 Conditional Uses 0 Exemption from Growth
Management Quota System 0 Tax Credits
Page 1 of 1
P70
RECEIVED
Amy Guthrie
Aspen Community Development
'ie,,{ <) , 2"0"
:\i.!) If "" "i U tl
RE: Historical Zoning
827 Dean 51.
ASPEN
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
It's been a while since I met with you to find out just what was needed in order to voluntarily zone my mother's
house as a historic landmark. I think I have all that is needed and I am enclosing that for you. Please let me
know specifically if there is anything else that is needed,
We had discussed benefits to mother, as the owner of this property, if this is accomplished. Among those
things are: historic lot split (or the ability to do so later), TOR's that she would receive for giving up
development rights (this would be advantageous to mother to pay down her mortgage...if the TOR's are
marketable), any tax credits available, any financial assistance available for maintenance and/or improvement
of the property.
You said that there would be no fees, so I haven't filled out anything regarding fees. And, I don't know how else
to fill out this application (the "type of application" and the "proposal"), I don't think much of the application
pertains to what we are trying to accomplish. If there are blanks to be filled in, please do so and fax the
finished application to me (925-2692 or email: aSDenrealestate@aol.com).
I can be reached at 925-9464 or 948-9464.
Mondav. November 20. 2006 America Online: Asoenrealestate
Page 1 of 1
P71
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'11
123 East Hallam: This 108 year old Victorian miner's
cottage was originally owned by Catherine Brown, DauidR.C.
BrolL'n's wife. Catherine's maiden name was Cowenhouen.
Both families lL'ere extensiuely inuolued in Aspen's early min-
ing development. Notice the historic aspect of the other homes
on the block-fire of these miner's cottages on this block are
local landmarks. Traditional historic aspects of this home
include the hip roof with metal bell finials at the hip end and
pedimented lintels aboue the windows.
730 South Galena:
The Tauber hOZlSe has
become renowned in
Aspen as the only
15,000 square-foot
hOZlSe with ski-in / ski.
out access to Aspen
MOlLntain. The house
was built in 1985 by the
Hemmeter family. An
intriguing feature of the
home is the elemtor access to the front entry which is seueral
stories above the road. This 30- plZlS-room home is pure
elegance with a dramatic foyerandeItensiuefumishings. The
current owners, Joel and Shelly Tauber, recently purchased
the house {rom the Marshall Fields family. PARKING IS
NOT AVAILABLE FOR THIS HOUSE. PLEASE PLAN
ON TAKING A HOMES TOUR SHUTTLE FROM THE
WEST END.
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827 Dean Street: KnolL"n as "The Christmas House: this
inconspicuous Chalet is not to be missed. "Christmas is such
a u'onderful, cheerful time of year," says homeolrner Nyla
White. "[ thought u'e should be reminded of it all year round. "
The Whites purchased the Chalet in 1963 and 15 years ago
partially rebuilt the house to create an ambiance of all that's
meant by the phrase <tcoming home." The house is ,filled with
memorabilia from around the u-arld including .{ustria,
Su'itzerland and France,
38 ne Place: This home departs from 'v'ictorian style with .
a contemporary [talian and French facade. This lovely family
home incorporates incomparable vierL's o(Independence Pass
in its design, bringing the mountains indoors. Artu-ark in the
home includes pieces from around the u-arld. Be sure to ask
about the green plank! PARKING [S ,VOT AVAlLABLE
FOR THIS HOUSE. PLEASE PLAN ON T.-UUNG A
HOJfES TOUR SHUTTLE FROM THE WEST END.
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P75
CITY OF ASPEN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Agreement for Payment of City of Aspen Development Application Fees
CITY OF ASPEN (hereinafter CITY) and N '/ t.-A W tf ~ T(
(hereinafter APPLICANT) AGREE AS FOLLOWS:
1. APPLICANT has submitted to CITY an application for
<6"L l O-eo..V\. 1,i-r-eer ~ c.,
I
(hereinafter, THE PROJECT).
2. APPLICANT understands and agrees that City of Aspen Ordinance No. 57
(Series of 2000) establishes a fee structure for Land Use applications and the payment of
all processing fees is a condition precedent to a determination of application
completeness.
3. APPLICANT and CITY agree that because ofthe size, nature or scope of
the proposed project, it is not possible at this time to ascertain the full extent of the costs
involved in processing the application. APPLICANT and CITY further agree that it is in
the interest of the parties that APPLICANT make payment of an initial deposit and to
thereafter permit additional costs to be billed to APPLICANT on a monthly basis.
APPLICANT agrees additional costs may accrue following their hearings and/or
approvals. APPLICANT agrees he will be benefited by retaining greater cash liquidity
and will make additional payments upon notification by the CITY when they are
necessary as costs are incurred. CITY agrees it will be benefited through the greater
certainty of recovering its full costs to process APPLICANT'S application.
4. CITY and APPLICANT further agree that it is impracticable for CITY
staff to complete processing or present sufficient information to the P1arming
Commission and/or City Council to enable the Planning Commission and/or City Council
to make legally required findings for project consideration, unless current billings are
paid in full prior to decision.
5, Therefore, APPLICANT agrees that in consideration of the CITY's waiver
of its right to collect full fees prior to a determination of application completeness,
APPLICANT shall pay an initial deposit in the amount of $ which is for
hours of Community Development staff time, and if actual recorded costs exceed
the initial deposit, APPLICANT shall pay additional monthly billings to CITY to
reimburse the CITY for the processing of the application mentioned above, including
post approval review at a rate of$220.00 per plarmer hour over the initial deposit. Such
periodic payments shall be made within 30 days of the billing date. APPLICANT further
agrees that failure to pay such accrued costs shall be grounds for suspension of
processing, and in no case will building permits be issued until all costs associated with
case processing have been paid.
P76
CITY OF ASPEN
By:
APPLICANT
By:
Chris Bendon
Community Development Director
Date:
Bill To Mailing Address and
Telephone Number:
g:\support\forms\agrpayas.doc
02/01/06
.
THE CITY OF ASPEN
Land Use Application
Pro.ect:
Name:
Location:
t,v~ I \E..
Pe",.... S-t-
I~l/
LOIS p.-
l-OC
\ \ 3
10 "ft--S
(,,'7l-
E-mail:
~,,"re..I~{.c2 <<!)
A.,\ _~
Re resentative:
Name:
Address:
Phone #: C\,
'f{lbl -L.-
Fax#: '11.-S U. .-,/
E-mail:
.,.,ce~\...s.+.de Q
p.., I. <e--..
lease check all that a I :
Historic Desi ation Certificate of No Ne ative Effect ertificate of
Appropriateness -Minor Historic Development -Major Historic Development-
P77
Conceptual Historic Development -Final Historic Development -Substantial Amendment
Relocation
(temporary, on or off-site) Demolition (total demolition) Historic Landmark Lot Split
Fees Due: $
General Information
Please check the appropriate boxes below and submit this page along with your
application. This information will help us review your plans and, if necessary,
coordinate with other agencies that may be involved.
YES NO
D ~ Does the work you are planning include exterior work; including
additions, demolitions, new construction, remodeling, rehabilitation or
restoration?
D GY' Does the work you are planning include interior work; including
remodeling, rehabilitation, or restoration?
D l>Y'" Do you plan other future changes or improvements that could be reviewed
at this time?
D
D
In addition to City of Aspen approval for a Certificate of Appropriateness
or No Negative Effect and a building permit, are you seeking to meet the
Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation or restoration of a
National Register of Historic Places property in order to qualifY for state
or federal tax credits?
D
D
If yes, are you seeking federal rehabilitation investment tax credits
P78
in conjunction with this project? (Only income producing
properties listed on the National Register are eligible. Owner-
occupied residential properties are not.)
o
o
If yes, are you seeking the Colorado State Income Tax Credit for
Historical Preservation?
Please check all City of Aspen Historic Preservation Benefits which you plan to use:
o Rehabilitation Loan Fund 0 Conservation Easement Program 0 Dimensional
Variances 0 Increased Density 0 Historic Landmark Lot Split 0 Waiver of Park
Dedication Fees 0 Conditional Uses 0 Exemption from Growth
Management Quota System 0 Tax Credits
Northeast comer, chalet details: stucco and wood
combination is indicative of Swiss chalet style.
-....-
-'
- .
.~.
exhibit C
827 Dean Street, north facade.
Northwest comer. This section was originally open
with a roof overhang- notice where the wood detail
stops above the light fixture
West elevation, looking at the enclosed hallway
built in the 1980s.
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P79
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Aspen Historic Preservation Commission
FROM:
Amy Guthrie, Historic Preservation Officer
RE:
214 E. Bleeker Street (New House)- Major Development (Conceptual) and
Variance- Public Hearing
DATE:
March 28, 2007
SUMMARY: The subject property is a 6,000 square foot vacant lot which was created through
a subdivision of the landmark designated parcel at 214 E. Bleeker. There are no historic
resources on the site. HPC has full purview over the project.
Staff finds that the proposal requires restudy in order to meet the design guidelines, therefore
continuation is recommended.
APPLICANT: 214 E. Bleeker LLC (Kristeen Church), represented by Rybak Architecture and
Development, P.C.
PARCEL In: 2737-073-48-001.
ADDRESS: 214 E. Bleeker, Lot A, Brumder Lot Split, City and Townsite of Aspen, Colorado.
ZONING: R-6, Medium Density Residential.
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT (CONCEPTUAL)
The procedure for a Major Development Review, at the Conceptual level, is as follows. Staff
reviews the submittal materials and prepares a report that analyzes the project's conformance
with the design guidelines and other applicable Land Use Code Sections. This report is
transmitted to the i/pc with relevant information on the proposed project and a
recommendation to continue, approve, disapprove or approve with conditions and the reasons
for the recommendation. The HPC will review the application, the staff analysis report and the
evidence presented at the hearing to determine the project's conformance with the City of
Aspen Historic Preservation Design Guidelines. The HPC may approve, disapprove, approve
with conditions, or continue the application to obtain additional information necessary to
make a decision to approve or deny.
Major Development is a two-step process requiring approval by the HPC of a Conceptual
Development Plan, and then a Final Development Plan. Approval of a Conceptual
Development Plan shall be binding upon HPC in regards to the location and form of the
envelope of the structure(s) and/or addition(s) as depicted in the Conceptual Plan application
including its height, scale, massing and proportions. No changes will be made to this aspect of
1
paD
the proposed development by the HPC as part of their review of the Final Development Plan
unless agreed to by the applicant.
This project is located on a block that is mostly comprised of Victorian era buildings. The
subject house will be the only non-Victorian structure on this block-face and it sits between two
one story miner's cottages, each of which is a 6,000 square foot lot with an allowable FAR of
3,240 square feet, just like the new building. The project must comply with the HPC Design
Guidelines and the City's Residential Design Standards.
The architect has provided a block plan and streetscape elevations which are very helpful in
reviewing the project. He has clearly worked to reflect some of the proportions of adjacent
structures and the pattern of small scale secOIi.dary buildings along the alley,
HPC has recently reviewed rehabilitation plans for the landmark to the west. That project is
allowed the same FAR as the new house currently under review. It was developed entirely as a
one story building, and the block plan indicates that this was achieved through considerably more
site coverage at the back of the lot via setback variances. This new house does not require any
variances other than for a lightwell that is not technically required by Building Code.
There is a sense of more open space along the side lot lines on the Victorian sites to the east and
west. Staff finds that there is a need to revisit that aspect of the subject proposaL The architect
has extended the roof line of the streetfacing gable down to the first floor level, which may help
to reduce scale, however the plate height on the first floor is approximately 2 feet taller than the
adjacent Victorians. The following guideline does not appear to be met:
11.4 Design a front elevation to be similar in scale to the historic building.
D The primary plane of the front should not appear taller than the historic structure.
D The front should include a one-story element, such as a porch.
Staff also has a concern with the somewhat complicated massing of the building, although we
acknowledge the architect's effort to break down the scale and to employ a cross gabled form. In
general, hipped roofs are not typical of Aspen's Victorians, particularly on two story buildings.
The building modules are roofed with a variety of forms that include includes symmetrical and
asymmetrical gables, hips, sheds, and a flat roof, all of varying ridge heights. Admittedly the
Victorian to the west has a number of roof forms, but again it is somewhat unique and Aspen and
may not translate well to a new two story structure in such a sensitive location. We do not find
this guideline to be met:
11.6 Use roofforms that are similar to those seen traditionally in the block.
D Sloping roofs such as gable and hip roofs are appropriate for primary roof forms.
D Flat roofs should be used only in areas where it is appropriate to the context.
D On a residential structure, eave depths should be similar to those seen traditionally in the
context.
D Exotic building and roof forms that would detract from the visual continuity of the street are
discouraged. These include geodesic domes and A-frames.
2
P81
There was likely a different historic house on the subject site in the Victorian era, and it was only
in more recent history that the lot became associated with the Brumder property. There is no
particular reason why a new development should refer architecturally to the Victorian on the west
more so than others in the area.
Finally, although the applicant has not asked for a variance from the Residential Design
Standards, Staff finds that the project is not currently meeting the "Inflection" standard, which
requires new development to step down in height towards one story structures. One story
structures, and the manner of inflecting towards them, is defined as follows:
A one story building shall be defined as follows: A one story building shall mean
a structure, or portion of a structure, where there is only one floor of fully usable
living space, at least 12 feet wide across the street frontage. This standard shall
be met by providing a one story element which is also at least twelve (12) feet
wide across the street frontage and one story tall as far back along the common
lot line as the adjacent building is one story.
The applicant has a choice which side to inflect towards and has chose to address the west
neighbor. The Brumder house to the west is entirely one story, therefore this project must also be
one story along the entire west side of the site, for a width of 12 feet across the Bleeker Street
frontage. The stair tower on the proposed new house does not comply with the criterion.
It is a particularly difficult challenge to strike the right balance when creating an infill building
like this one, all the while avoiding replication of historic structures. Staff finds that the project
requires additional restudy to fully meet the guidelines.
SETBACK VARIANCE
The criteria for granting setback variances, per Section 26.41S.110.C of the Municipal Code are
as follows:
HPC must make a finding that the setback variance:
a. Is similar to the pattern, features and character of the historic property or district; and/or
b. Enhances or mitigates an adverse impact to the historic significance or architectural character
of the historic property, an adjoining designated historic property or historic district.
STAFF RESPONSE: Lightwells are allowed to project into required setbacks only to the extent
that they are required by the Building Code and are no larger than the minimum size prescribed.
This proj ect has a lightwell in the west sideyard associated with a den. The den does not require
a lightwell, so either it needs to be eliminated, revised, or granted a variance. Because this is a
vacant lot, staff does not generally support the granting of variances, however we do hope to see
additional massing study to achieve better compatibility with the surrounding Victorians and
remain open to providing flexibility for this below grade element if it contributes to a better
project.
3
P82
DECISION MAKING OPTIONS:
The HPC may:
. approve the applicatioD,
. approve the applicatioD with cODditioDs,
. disapprove the applicatioD, or
. cODtiDue the applicatioD to a date certaiD to obtaiD additioDal iDformatioD Decessary
to make a decisioD to approve or deDY.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends continuation to a date certain.
Exhibits:
A. Relevant Design Guidelines
B. Application
Exhibit A: RelevaDt DesigD GuideliDes
11.1 OrieDt the primary eDtraDce of a Dew buildiDg to the street.
D The building should be arranged parallel to the lot lines, maintaining the traditional grid
pattern of the site.
11.2 ID a resideDtial cODtext, clearly defiDe the primary eDtraDce to a Dew buildiDg by
usiDg a froDt porch.
D The front porch should be "functional," in that it is used as a means of access to the entry.
D A new porch should be similar in size and shape to those seen traditionally.
D In some cases, the front door itself may be positioned perpendicular to the street;
nonetheless, the entry should still be clearly defined with a walkway and porch that
orients to the street.
11.3 CODstruct a Dew buildiDg to appear similar iD scale with the historic buildiDgs OD the
parcel.
D Subdivide larger masses into smaller "modules" that are similar in size to the historic
buildiDgs OD the original site.
11.4 DesigD a froDt elevatioD to be similar iD scale to the historic buildiDg.
D The primary plane ofthe froDt should not appear taller than the historic structure.
D The front should include a one-story element, such as a porch.
11.5 Use huildiDg forms tbat are similar to those of the historic property.
D They should not overwhelm the original in scale.
11.6 Use roof forms that are similar to those seeD traditioDally iD the block.
D Sloping roofs such as gable and hip roofs are appropriate for primary roof forms.
D Flat roofs should be used only in areas where it is appropriate to the context.
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D On a residential structure, eave depths should be similar to those seen traditionally in the
context.
D Exotic building and roof forms that would detract from the visual continuity of the street
are discouraged. These include geodesic domes and A-frames.
11.9 Use building components that are similar in size and shape to those of the historic
property.
D These include windows, doors and porches.
D Overall, details should be modest in character.
11.10 The imitation of older historic styles is discouraged.
D This blurs the distinction between old and new buildings.
D Highly complex and ornately detailed revival styles that were not a part of Aspen's history
are especially discouraged on historic sites.
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