On Wednesday evening, January 27, 2010 the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review held their annual Year End Review to consider the completed projects from the 2009 building season. Members of the public, Town staff and building community viewed a presentation of projects in the following categories: New Residential, Accessory Dwellings and Buildings, Residential Remodels, New Commercial and Commercial Remodels. The Board focused on the massing, site design, exterior materials and overall architecture in their consideration of the projects and selection of the most outstanding for 2009.

In the Residential Remodel category, David Klauser’s creek-side single-family residence at 202 3^rd Street received an “Honorable Mention” award. Designed by Walker Design and built by Eric Shull and Nick Dilworth, the Klauser home was a successful remodel, which put new life and character into a classic piece of 70’s Crested Butte Funk. The home and building site were both dramatically improved through this renovation, and David should be commended for remodeling the existing building, rather than tearing it down.

 In the Historic Preservation and Accessory Building Categories, Jennifer Rose and Bill Smith’s accessory building located at 720 Maroon Ave. received “Honorable Mention” recognition. Designed and built by Mike Fahrlander, the building was salvaged from the Town Ranch complex and was badly deteriorated prior to being moved to their property. Jennifer and Bill put tremendous energy into preserving the historic materials while turning the shed into a light, well-insulated and functional art studio and work space. The Board cited this project as a great example of effective historic preservation.

 John and Carrie O’Neil’s home at 416 Gothic Ave. received an “Honorable Mention” award in the New Residential Construction category. With difficult site circumstances and very little room to work with, the O’Neil home manages to fit well into the surrounding neighborhood. As an alley house, the structure blends the character of smaller alley buildings with those of larger single-family residences to create a handsome, understated appearance with appropriate mass and scale. Along with Architect Michael Helland, John and Carrie coupled scaled-down exterior architectural elements with tasteful finishes to create a home that fits well within the architectural guidelines and neighborhood and meets the needs of their family.

 In the New Commercial Building category, Cindy Ingalls building located at 414 Elk Avenue (home to Rumor’s Coffee and Blue Moon Books) won the “Project of the Year” award for 2009. Ingalls, along with architect Dan Murphy and builder Jack Huckins put tremendous effort into creating a building with its own modern character that still fits seamlessly into the Elk Avenue Streetscape. The front courtyard was cited by the Board as an excellent public space and amenity for the residents of Town. The vibrant store front added life to the east end of the business/residential district, and the rear portion of the building blends well with the surrounding architecture. The Board cited this building as a good example of effective in-fill design, blending historic building forms and massing with modern detailing and environmentally conscious construction.