A modern apartment in the heart of downtown CB
By Kendra Walker / photo by James Ray Spann
The Royal Elk may not have stood during Crested Butte’s early mining days, but the building still evokes a modern twist to the old-time charm and character of Elk Avenue. Many may recognize it for the Montanya’s Distillery Tasting Lounge on the ground floor, but for the Harrold family, they call it home, sweet home when they are in Crested Butte.
It started with a small cabin and garden on the historic footprint Wanda Harrold says they first owned when the family started coming to Crested Butte 23 years ago. “We love Crested Butte. We came to visit in March and owned this lot by May. We fell in love with it and the mountain and the great outdoors and activities. We enjoyed the quieter pace and small-town life, small-town people and atmosphere.”
Johnny Biggers of Crested Butte Builders helped them renovate the cabin, which was once an auto repair garage. But as the years passed, the Harrold family outgrew their beloved cabin retreat. “Our kids got older and they outgrew the bunk beds in the cabin, so we knew we needed to expand,” Wanda says.
Being located right on Elk Avenue and zoned for both commercial and residential, they knew they had a special opportunity to create a new mixed-use landmark in the heart of town. The Harrolds turned to Biggers once again for the build, more than 20 years later, and worked with Gary Hartman of Sunlit Architecture to help map out the vision.
“We know it’s a new building, but we didn’t want it to feel too new and wanted it to seem like it’s always been a part of the Elk Avenue skyline. I always joke that it’s the house the town built,” Wanda says, referring to the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR) process and building requirements of the historic downtown. “But it worked out well, you find a compromise between what you envision and what’s allowed.
Construction took place during the pandemic, which Wanda says brought unique hurdles and challenges, but they obtained the certificate of occupancy in 2021. With Crested Butte Builders leading the charge, they worked with over 50 subcontractors, from Timberline Mechanical on all the mechanicals and plumbing, to Dragon Sheet Metal for the air conditioning, to Slate River Marble and Granite on the countertops.
Wanda notes the whole process was a testament to the creativity and craftsmanship of all the subcontractors in Crested Butte. “I love that the local craftsmen were willing to tackle some unusual things with the place.”
The result is the three-story (and basement) building on Elk Avenue, with Montanya’s on the ground floor, office space on the second, followed by the family’s apartment on the second and third floor penthouse.
Inside the modern Victorian-style facade, the three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom home offers quiet calm and privacy away from the busyness of Elk Avenue below. The main kitchen, dining and living room area invite plenty of open space and natural light – a contrast from their original rustic and dark, yet cozy, cabin. Windows in the living area look out toward unobstructed views of Paradise Divide and onto the shops and restaurants of Elk Avenue, while the master bedroom and outdoor deck look out toward Red Lady. “We took advantage of every window we could get,” says Wanda.
The apartment’s aesthetics play off of natural colors and textures, resulting in a light and inviting modern space. Throughout the home, you’ll find subtle nods to their original cabin, treasures from international antique fairs, artwork from Crested Butte Arts Festivals and the handiwork of local artisans.
“We tried to tap into talent we had used in the past,” notes Wanda. “Craig Maestro did some very specific woodworking for us, he made some incredible things. He’s a great carpenter and had done a lot of the woodworking in the cabin way back when.” She notes the custom shelving system in one of the bedrooms that uses remnants from the cabin’s wood floors. He also transformed an old gate, made by local craftsman Joe Bob Merritt, that once stood in the old garden out front and repurposed it into a sophisticated console table.
Wanda also reconnected with Sally Jonson of Willow for window treatments. “She had done my curtains in the cabin back in 2003. She’s just a lovely person and a great resource. She also gave me the courage to put in the bold Christian Lacroix (French designer) wallpaper in the powder bath.”
The Harrolds praise Pete Peacock of Peacock Designs, who handled all of the cabinetry and fireplaces, as well as another creative challenge: the mirror in the elevator. “I call it the Mona Lisa mirror,” Wanda says of the translucent bear image on the elevator’s back mirror wall. “No matter where you’re standing, it looks like she’s looking at you. But we had a really hard time getting that whole thing organized, getting the exact mirror required for elevators and the image the way I wanted it to be. Pete came to the rescue with that even though it was outside his wheelhouse.”
The Harrolds come to Crested Butte multiple times a year from Florida and hope to spend even more time here as they get older. “It’s a very comfortable place to come back to. We love that everything is so accessible and right outside our back door,” Wanda says. “You get here and we can use the bus to get to the mountain, ride our bikes all over town and walk to restaurants at night.” It’s a place where their grown children still love to return, bringing back memories of mountain sports teams and days spent at the skate park. “We as parents always had such a sense of comfort letting our kids run wild here. We never once looked at each other and wondered if they’d be okay.”
The Harrolds love that Montanya Distillers has found a home for its tasting room in the building as well. “Megan and Renée are wonderful women, I can’t say enough amazing things about them,” says Wanda.
And the building’s name, Royal Elk? It was inspired by an antique English mantel her daughter found, with the image of several elk including a royal. “An elk with six points on each antler is a ‘royal’ elk,” says Wanda. “We thought it was so perfect for this place and Crested Butte and wanted to incorporate it.” The original piece hangs inside their apartment, and the family had a replica made for the sign hanging outside the building.
