SAGUACHE— Colorado Preservation, Inc. (CPI) invites volunteers to participate in a free, hands-on historic preservation workshop at the Dunn Block in Saguache on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7. The workshop runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday, with lunch provided on Friday. The workshop will introduce volunteers to preservation techniques and will begin the process of rehabilitation by cleaning the property, working on window restoration efforts, test power washing of painted brick and other activities.
The historic Dunn Block building, also known as the Means and Ashley Mercantile Building, is located at the corner of the intersection of 4th Street and San Juan Avenue in Saguache. The building was built in 1874, with an addition in 1910, and is listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties (2006) and is a contributing building to the historic Saguache Downtown National Historic District (2007). Construction of the building commenced the same year the Town of Saguache was founded, with the addition built 36 years later.
The history of the building’s uses and functions parallels the development of commercial activity in the town and region for the first 50 years of its existence. In 2009, the district itself was placed on CPI’s Most Endangered Places List as the Fourth Street Commercial District. Rehabilitation of the Dunn Block will continue the recent progress of revitalization of the historic downtown district. Kim Grant, Endangered Places Program director at CPI, explained that, “A hands-on workshop for the Dunn Block is a great way to introduce participants to proper techniques and treatments designed to protect the building while building support in the local community for preservation.”
The purpose of the workshop is to provide volunteer appropriate preservation support for the rehabilitation of the Dunn Block building, which is currently owned by the Masons fraternal organization and is in the process of being sold to a local development partnership, who intend to form a local non-profit corporation and lease the building for retail, offices and residential purposes. Volunteers will work under the direction of Henry Woods of Native Sun Construction, architect Leigh Ann Buninger and CPI Endangered Places Program director Kim Grant.
Volunteers are asked to provide their own gloves and hard hat, if available. CPI will provide light refreshments and water on both days and lunch on Friday. Please RSVP by Monday, June 3 to Kim Grant at 303-893-4260 x 222.