Facade renovation for historic brick building in Aspen slated for October completion

The historic Elks Building in downtown Aspen continues to undergo exterior renovations to its brick-and-mortar facade originally laid when the building was constructed in 1891. 

The scaffolding around the exterior of the Elks Building has created two enclosed footpaths for pedestrians to walk under. The scaffolding on the exterior has obstructed the view of some of the storefronts as well as funneled pedestrian traffic through alternate routes.

The project started in the spring of 2023, but following delays from issues with permitting and other city projects, the timeframe extended into the next year, according to Elks Lodge Manager Barry Bromka. 

Renovations to aging brick facades are something other buildings in Aspen have had to grapple with. He said the 2019 exterior renovation of the nearby Wheeler Opera House inspired him to contact an architect. 

Masons are removing old mortar and damaged bricks and replacing them with similar materials that adhere to the historical accuracy of the original facade of the Elks Building. Painters will also refurbish the original look of the building.

The entire renovation should protect the exterior from another renovation for a further 60-70 years.

“We chose at this time not to have the same historical architect do any inspection and reports on the interior,” Bromka said.

There are several businesses in the Elks Building, including the two retail locations, the Ute Mountaineer and Wyld Blue, as well as a saloon, Silver City Aspen.

“The biggest ways that our business has been affected is by foot traffic that looks into our windows,” Ute Mountaineer Marketing Director Joel Nunez-Smith said. “We feel like we’re losing some of that traffic and then, of course, some of the business.”

The Ute Mountaineer team has been running larger advertising campaigns and using banners to continue to draw in business. With renovation expected to be finished in October of 2024, employee Bridget Ceballos also painted mountainscapes on the plywood at the entrance to the store to attract more business.

“When people are looking for outdoor equipment in town, we’re certainly still the place to go, and I think they’re aware of that,” Nunez-Smith said. “But we’re definitely feeling somewhat of an impact from that loss of foot traffic.”