Project of the Year in Crested Butte: 313 Sopris Avenue

On January 26, 2016 Crested Butte’s Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR) held their annual Year End Review to consider the projects completed in 2016. Members of the BOZAR and Town staff reviewed a presentation of projects in the following categories: New Residential, Accessory Buildings, Accessory Dwellings, Residential Remodels and New Commercial. The Board considers the effective application of the design guidelines, the massing, site design, overall architecture and exterior materials in their consideration of all of the projects. The Board selected the most outstanding projects for 2016, honoring two projects with the prestigious Project of the Year Award. Several other project were awarded honorable mentions. This, as with each year, is a community effort and the BOZAR and Building Department Staff wish to thank the property owners together with the Building and Design Community for another successful year of construction in Crested Butte. The architectural uniqueness of Town owes a great deal to your hard work.

The Project of the Year for a rehabilitation to a historic home in 2016 was awarded to 313 Sopris, LLC and Jeff Hermanson, for the rehabilitation, addition and historic preservation work of the 1881 residential building located at 313 Sopris Avenue. The Board commended Priscila Palhava and Peter O’Rourke for the sensitivity of this unique historic structure and the attention to detail in the rehabilitation on the project as a whole was greatly appreciated. Each step along the way, O’Rourke and Palhava met with Town Staff and representatives from the Board to ensure that the path of rehabilitation was appropriate for this special building. Uncovering two different types of siding, maintaining as many of the historic windows as possible, the lower “cellar” door and returning to the East elevation entry were all examples of the details you all took to help this building preserve its unique character. This is an iconic building in Crested Butte, as it sits atop the hill on Sopris Avenue. According to the historic building survey, this building was built in 1881, as the Pioneer Apartment Hotel, and is one of the oldest in Crested Butte. Crested Butte founders, Howard Smith and George Holt, erected the building and the Spehar family acquired the building in 1926. This property is for sale. Learn more here >