Historic Preservation Commission Welcomes History Colorado Rep., Approves Four COAs
Joining the April 7 Historic Preservation Commission meeting was Dr. Lindsey Flewelling, Preservation Planner and Certified Local Government Coordinator from History Colorado. Dr. Flewelling was in attendance to evaluate Lake City’s adherence to its Certified Local Government Agreement with the state of Colorado, which is done every four years.This agreement evaluates how well Lake City is managing its National Historic District and to determine if the Town is adhering to its Historic Preservation Ordinance, which falls under the responsibility of Lake City’s Historic Preservation Commission and Town of Lake City staff.Passing this evaluation keeps the Town of Lake City eligible for state grants and tax credits that can be applied toward preservation of historic buildings in Lake City, such as the County Courthouse, the Hough Building and Hinsdale County Museum – all of which have received state historic fund grants in the past for restoration and other projects.Facing a hefty agenda April 7, Chair Joe Fox got directly down to business with the first item on the agenda, Certificate of Approval (COA) 2026-04, which concerned 220 N Gunnison Avenue, Piltingrud’s Lone Pine Apartments, where renovations have been ongoing for some time and multiple windows have been replaced.The subcommittee handling this matter were Fox and Commission member Jared Boyd. Boyd began the conversation by explaining the building was built in 1953 by Joel Swank, and is considered to be non-contributing to the Historic District, mainly because the exterior has been altered so drastically since it was built. Boyd went on to explain that new windows were being installed on the north and south sides of the building, including an egress window on the new apartment bedroom under construction. He also explained that a wood trim was going to be added to the egress windows.Boyd’s recommendation was to approve as proposed, which was echoed by the rest of the Commission members. Fox said that he appreciated the education earned from this case, as far as how the commission should handle these kinds of non-contributing buildings, with Flewelling noting that if a building is contributing, best practice is for property owners not to alter the exterior appearance in order to maintain contributing status.Newly purchased Lake City Brewing Company building at 130 A Bluff Street was next on the agenda, where new owners Justin Lamothe, Brennan Pantleo and Kaylin Trivisonno are requesting a new door on the south exterior wall as well as a deck below the door. Subcommittee members for this project wereHistoric Preservation Commission Welcomes History Colorado Rep., Approves Four COAsJud Hollingsworth and Mike Coffin. Hollingsworth said he and Coffin met with Lamothe, Pantleo and Trivisonno, and that their drawings had been sent to all Commission members. Neither Hollingsworth nor Coffin had any problem with the project, nor any comments to make, and COA 2026-05 passed unanimously.The next property on the agenda, 415 Henson Street, has been involved in an ongoing conversation between the Commission and property owners Derrick and Leah Wright, who originally wanted to add onto the McDonald “Rock House,” a distinctly unique structure built between 1950 and 1952 by Dallas-based doctor William Drury McDonald and wife, Viola, which includes a detached, gabled privy at the back of the lots.The original plan to add a massive addition onto the back of the Rock House was rejected by the Commission, especially after Commission members took the construction drawing to the Saving Places Conference in Denver earlier this year, and were told unanimously by every expert they consulted with, that the add-on was exactly the kind of thing Historic Preservation Commissions needed to veto.The Wrights decided instead that they would section the property into two lots, and Fox explained, along with subcommittee member Jared Boyd, that a separate, new building will be constructed instead of an addition, and that efforts would also be made to preserve the historic Rock House building left free-standing. COA 2026-06 passed unanimously, with Fox thanking the Wrights for “going through all of this.”Finally, adjustments to a 3-foot fence at the Assenheimer property on Gunnison Avenue, a non-contributing property. Requested was a small change to the top finials of the picket fence to match the fence at the back of the property. This matter also passed unanimously.Fox explained that he will sign each COA application, which will then be sent to the property owners to sign, then onto County Building Inspector Gabe McNeese.In old/new business, Fox gave an update on the reorganization of the architectural surveys for properties listed in the Historic District. Fox explained that their website domain name was lost years ago due to the departure of a Town Manager, and that reports held at Town Offices needed to be scanned and posted with photographs to get all Historic District properties online again, and that this is a project Fox and the Commission are currently handling.
