Projects - Structures
Buildings: Historic Assessment/Renovation

Stanley Hall Music Room
Estes Park, Colorado

Aller-Lingle Architects
Fort Collins, Colorado
and
Bruce McMillan Architects
Manhattan, Kansas

The Stanley Hall Music Room building is part of the historic Stanley Hotel complex overlooking Estes Park. The photo at the top is the Music Room. The photos below are the main hotel, situated just up the hill from the Music Room. Loris joined the historic renovation team to assist with structural assessment of the existing building, and to give structural advice on renovation concepts to the architects, theater and acoustic consultants.

The owner's vision was to renovate the Hall to its former glory as a venue for theater and musical productions. This required an assessment of the strength of the existing presidium arch, main floor structure and the stage floor and roof areas. The scheme also called for the introduction of a piano lift from the basement below, and the extension of the basement to create a public art gallery. This latter work will require delicate hand excavation of the bedrock over approximately a quarter of the basement, as the original building was of wood frame construction constructed on rubble footings directly on the outcropping bedrock.

Additional design was required to strengthen an existing balcony and introduce a new grand staircase connecting the main theater level to the new public art gallery.

Construction has not progressed to date due to funding difficulties.