2014 01 09

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Volume 5, Number 48 | January 9, 2014

History in the remaking Fourth Street building gets new life By Sue Gray Sopris Sun Correspondent

A

distinguished old dame with a checkered past recently had some major work done, in order to, in the words of construction specialist David Fischer, “bring her back to her former luster.â€? Fischer was the contractor chosen to renovate the building on 55 N. Fourth St. that private account manager Ron Speaker is leasing from Tom Bailey, who purchased it in 2001 through an LLC called Morningwood. Speaker and Bailey have had a professional relationship for 27 years and they’ve been discussing what to do with the 115-year-old building since 2007 when Speaker moved from Denver to Carbondale. “When I saw the upstairs of the building I knew it could be something great,â€? said Speaker regarding the two-story brick structure, which until recently, housed the ofďŹ ce of Jacober Brothers Construction and Crystal River Meats. When Speaker expressed interest in moving his Equus Private Wealth ofďŹ ce from 225 Main Street to Bailey’s building, the two began working together to create a feasible plan for the renovation. They started by interviewing four or ďŹ ve structural engineers, some of whom declined the project outright, due to potential liability problems. “Anybody who considers a historic building renovation is worried about how bad it could turn out to be,â€? said Speaker, referring to the unknown variables involved in such a project. But structural engineer Ernie Kollar was eager for the opportunity to restore the building’s integrity, as was architect Danny Muse. David Fischer was hired as the general contractor because of his experience with heavy beams and old brick structures, and the renovation ďŹ nally got underway in early 2013. One of the ďŹ rst problems the construction crew encountered was a roof issue. The parapet, a short wall surrounding the perimeter of the roof that funnels rainwater, wasn’t working due to a buildup of materials from previous remodels. As FOURTH STREET page 5

At various times in its 115-year-old life, the building at 55 N. Fourth St. was a saloon, speakeasy and grocery store. After extensive renovation, the building is now home to Equus Private Wealth management. Photo by Lynn Burton

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2014 01 09 by The Sopris Sun - Issuu