The historically significant Owl Cigar mural is on the west-facing exterior wall of the old Crystal Palace dinner theater building in downtown Aspen. Developers of the RH Guesthouse, saying the mural contains lead paint and the wall’s foundation is unstable, are seeking permission to reconstruct the wall and redo the mural. Developers converting the old Crystal Palace dinner theater building into a luxury boutique hotel have concluded the project cannot be completed without reconstructing the structure’s west-facing exterior wall unique for its Owl Cigar mural.
Such an alteration would be inconsistent with previous approvals from the Aspen Historic Preservation Commission, which has set a special meeting on the matter for Wednesday. The issue comes five years into the corner construction project at East Hyman Avenue and Monarch Street and reflects the latest challenge associated with keeping the contemporary development faithful to its historic roots and HPC approvals. The HPC meeting was publicly noticed earlier this month; however, on Friday, the city of Aspen posted on its website a memo from Community Development Director Ben Anderson to the HPC recommending the public hearing be postponed.
Anderson called for a pause in the process, known as a “substantial amendment review,” to allow the HPC to provide the developers “with clear direction on the proposed amendment and a path forward.” “While the building permit remains active and in good standing,” Anders.