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Parking, façade design tweaks considered for Aspen Armory project

City Council ponders $1 million in changes

The Aspen Armory.
Ray K. Erku/The Aspen Times

Aspen leaders are considering an additional $1 million in proposed design tweaks and soft costs for an ongoing project to reopen its Armory Hall as a local food hub and community gathering place, according to a Monday work session.

The proposed alterations will increase project design costs to nearly $3.3 million, city documents show. 

The proposed project modifications, stemming from preliminary designs presented to the city in October 2024, include implementing façade, floor plan, and parking changes, as well as switching building materials. 



Alterations provided by Basalt-based CCY Architects, a firm hired by the city in March to develop project designs, will be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission once it submits a land use application by Monday, Feb. 3.

The firm plans to replace sandstone with copper material for construction purposes of a 900-square-foot Armory visitors center proposed at the alley and the vestibule entry at Hopkins Avenue, as well as asphalt shingles with metal — possibly copper — for roof updates.




Aspen Mayor Torre questioned whether the switch to modern building components would impact the historic integrity of the site, which became listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

“Sometimes it gets to a point where it detracts from the historic nature,” he said.

Another major change to the Armory’s design includes its south-facing façade. The new tweak removes the extended eave overhang installed in 1906 and provides a new canopy at window bays two and five, according to city documents, allowing for more sunlight to flow through the southeast corner. Current conditions of bays one, three, and four will be maintained.

“I would like to see as much natural light allowed into that building as possible,” Aspen City Councilmember Ward Hauenstein said. 

With this option, main level floor plan programming is modified to accommodate the façade changes, including moving a bar originally planned for a corner of the main floor to the center. Plans from CCY call for a primary bar on the second floor. 

The firm also proposed a parkway expansion for Hopkins Avenue, which could mean removing parking spaces along the alley, adding WE-Cycle options, or deciding if the adjacent Conner Park should have 14 or up to 28 bike racks, among more proposals.

“Where would you like to land on the balance here between parking for vehicles and parking for bikes?” asked Jessica Garrow of Design Workshop, a project partner.

The Armory project construction budget itself is $35 million, which will eventually expand and transform the historic building, constructed in the late 19th century and formerly used for local governmental purposes. 

If approved, $500,000 would be used for design change orders, while an additional $500,000 would be allotted for a turnkey handover of the building to an operator, meaning interior design services will be included in the change order.

Project construction is expected for 2026. Without an expedited process, ground would likely not be broken until 2027. The majority of council showed support for an expedited process.

“The sooner we can get it built, the better,” Hauenstein said.

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