Is the Infamous “Vos” Structure Headed for the Wrecking Ball?
Trevor Phipps
Last month, the Woodland Park City Council held a lengthy public hearing to decide if the “Vos Building” in downtown Woodland Park (located at the intersection of Hwy. 24 and Fairview) should receive historical landmark status.
After much discussion, the council voted to deny this designation at this time. But the fight over the future of this building, which has colorful ties to the town’s past and one of Woodland Park’s legendary figures, is far from over. One prominent local business owner, who also is the frontrunner candidate in the race for a spot on the Teller County Commission, believes the structure can be restored to its original historic condition.
Tough Hurdles to Overcome
However, in a meeting last month, proponents of the movement to save the “Vos Building” faced definite hurdles.
The Woodland Park City Council determined that the building reached two out of three of the criteria designated for receiving a historical landmark. Most council members, though, didn’t think the building met the third criteria that states, “the structure should have sufficient original or accurately restored materials that maintain its original historic character.”
City staff also indicated in a staff report that the building might not meet the third criteria due to extensive remodeling that has occurred in recent years.
Despite these obstacles, the city’s historic preservation committee voted to approve the building’s historical landmark. The committee recommended that the council approve the status, but some council members didn’t believe that they received a good enough explanation as to how the building’s original historical character has been upheld through the various remodels. The building has featured a variety of uses over the last several decades, including stints as a brewery, a unique cocktail bar and several restaurants.
Moreover, the city council was concerned that the building is currently considered a public health hazard. The building owner has until December to bring the building up to code and make it safe for the public.
During a recent council meeting, Marvin “Mac” McVicker, a representative of the city’s board of review, expressed concerns about the building being a safety hazard. He said that on July 14 the board of review determined that the property met the criteria for a dangerous building.
McVicker said that the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department gave the owner 120 days to conduct repairs, so the structure wasn’t a safety hazard, McVicker asked the council to delay a decision until December 3. This would follow the 120-day period given by the building department for the improvement and safety work to be completed.
However, the city’s attorney told the city council that delaying action on this issue was not a good idea. He noted that if public hearing was tabled, the city council would not be able to discuss the matter for the next three months. The possibility also existed that the building owner could reapply for the historic landmark status again, if the issues involving the structure are fixed.
Comments Mixed on Building’s Future
One of the building’s next-door neighbors, Erica Syzmankowski, operator of the State Farm Insurance local branch, told the council that the building has not maintained its original historic character. She also elaborated on how the building is currently a public safety hazard.
Syzmankowski, though, agreed that Clara Vos contributed a lot to the city, and she should be memorialized. However, the State Farm owner suggested establishing a plaque or statute to honor Clara Vos, instead of designating the building as a historical landmark.
“Recently, the board of review process documented serious deficiencies, including a missing stairway, a removed load-bearing wall and fire hazard concerns that led to a dangerous building declaration,” Syzmankowski said. “I am a licensed insurance agent, and I have determined that this building does not meet prudent insurability standards due to major integrity concerns with the building.”
Syzmankowski told the council that designating the building as a historical landmark could prolong the safety issues with the building. She said that making the building a historical landmark could cause more hurdles when it comes to preserving it.
However, Carl Andersen, the owner of a local construction company, who is the frontrunner in the race to become the next District 2 Teller County commissioner, took a different view. He said that he has examined the building a number of times and is familiar with the issues surrounding its “dangerous building” status.
Andersen said that crews have been inside the building to conduct tests for asbestos and lead-based paint. He said that a small amount of lead-based paint was found, but it was only present on two windows making it a minor issue. Some of the floor tiles most likely contained asbestos, but that issue was also minor, noted Andersen.
The business owner told the council that restoring the building to its original historical condition is possible. In the past, Andersen has completed several projects in the county where he used original materials to restore structures back to their historic condition.
In addition, Andersen told the council that he has met with the building department and has proposed a plan to make the necessary structural repairs. “It is possible to do,” Andersen said. “There is no doubt in my mind that this building can be made structurally safe.”
With the council ‘s decision to deny the “Vos Building” a historic landmark status, momentum could build for a growing effort to have the structure demolished or removed.
But based on Andersen’s comments and the views of members of the city’s historic committee, path still exists for this issue to be revisited in the future. This could occur in several months, following the deadline for making building repair improvements.
