We were approached by the Town of Grand Lake and the Grand County Economic Development Agency to create a detailed plan and cost analysis for the renovation of the town’s “Community House” into a music venue suitable for attracting musical acts and patrons on a year round basis and from not just the surrounding area, but also from Denver, Colorado Springs and the entire Front Range. The venue would be styled to reflect the historic nature of Grand Lake, with period light fixtures and furnishings, while the stage, lighting and sound system would be state of the art in order to compete with modern facilities throughout the region. In addition to an expanded stage and fixed seating, the facility would include a full service bar (for the convenience of guests as well as an important revenue source), and an elevated sound and lighting booth that would be more accessible and large enough to accommodate a wider array of events. Though deemed a “music hall”, the intent of the refurbished building would be any array of live performances from comedy, theater, music as well as films and other sorts of exhibits.
Building on the previous iterations, E3 does more with less through minimizing square footage and reallocating and reorganizing key spaces to streamline circulation and maximize useable square footage. This iteration, similar to E and E2, responds to the typography of the site, addresses site work concerns, as well as potential accessibility issues and associated costs with a two story structure. The single story still allows for easy future expansion to a lower level should it be needed in the future.
The kitchen and fitness areas are larger, the dispatch area now contains a combined kitchenette/storage/copy area per previous requests. Access to both sides of the locker rooms was maintained, specifically from the main corridor to minimize travel time from offices, conference room, etc. Other edits include a much larger evidence storage area, lab adjacency, and formal processing room in the jail. In the police program, a relocated armory (closer to offices and bullpens) and addition of a weapons maintenace and cleaning area. The hard and soft interview areas were also relocated, creating more separation and the hard interview room’s adjacency to the bullpen can be used as a quiet room for meetings, reports, etc. The dispatch area was significantly reorganized to allow for more desk space and create view corridors from dispatch supervisor and assistant offices to the main dispatch area. The sallyport retained 3 spaces to allow on-duty officers to keep their vehicles heated in inclement weather and to minimize injury possibilities from walking on ice, frost build-up on vehicle windows, etc.
The exterior materials were edited to reflect the story of the surrounding community and incorporate the historic context through materiality, massing, and fenestration. The windows create a historic aesthetic throughout the facility, and support columns echo the mining context and surrounding structures. The exterior slatting provides not only privacy and shade, but the metallic finish references the gold found in the nearby area. The pine tar finish on the wooden exterior elelments echo the fire that nearly destroyed the settlement as well as the minimalist building practices employed by the miners.
Taking cues from the surrounding area, the material palette for the transit center is wood siding, stucco/concrete, and brick to reflect the context of La Junta. The three materials and the three masses are interwoven as a symbol of community. The shading system on the main volume is derived from the adjacent railroad tracks. The original proposal without the visitors center program included 4835 total square feet with 904 square feet of dedicated bus program, 2277 square feet of dedicated public program, and 1654 square feet of Amtrak program. The new proposal is 5589 total square feet with 1019 square feet of dedicated bus program, 1786 square feet of dedicated public program, 707 square feet of visitors center program, and 2027 square feet of Amtrak program. Solar studies on the south elevation were conducted at noon, from top to bottom: spring, summer, fall, and winter. The overhangs and shading system and tuned to maximize shadows in the summer and allow passive heating in the winter if desired.
This is one of 3 schemes created for the project.
This layout includes 89 total parking spaces, with extra room for deliveries in existing alleyway which was a significant business concern. There are also 4 ADA unisex bathrooms in south end of building, accessed by exterior door from walkthrough, with the option to be left open or secured per client request.
The sheltered stage is centrally located and can function as a multipurpose space when not in use. The access points and stage area are ADA accessible and open on both sides. The north side has allocated space that can be storage or additional restrooms.
Per the client’s ‘Meet Me At The Beech’ theme, elements were included to reinforce the ‘beech’ aesthetic. Themed elements include ‘Welcome to the Beech’ bench, bathrooms/stage structure, and lighthouse (as a visible vertical element and observation point for the downtown + forest area)
A possible ‘Donor Garden’ option on north end of structure near Beech Street is also included should additional fundraising options be needed.