Board approves demolition of deteriorated garage at 418 West 1st Avenue

The Cheyenne Historic Preservation Board voted to approve a demolition permit and certificate of appropriateness for 418 West 1st Avenue after a staff presentation and applicant remarks. Staff recommended approval, saying the rear garage has experienced structural failure, presents a safety concern and is not visible from the public right-of-way.

Applicant Chris Merithhew told the board the existing garage is unusable: "our car won't even fit in it," and said much of the original brick salvaged from the garage was reused to repair the chimney. He described plans to match replacement windows and reroof the house to create a coherent restoration.

Board member Patrick Bustos pushed back on the staff recommendation, calling attention to the change in scale. He said the proposal "The existing footprint is being doubled," noting the presentation showed an increase from roughly a 12-by-20 space toward an approximately 27-by-29 footprint and asking for more materials detail and window specifications.

Staff clarified that the board's primary review authority in this case is the demolition decision and that the board could attach conditions on replacement design if desired. After discussion, a motion to approve the demolition and certificate of appropriateness was made, seconded and passed by voice vote.

The decision authorizes the owner to remove the failing attached garage and proceed under the approved demolition permit; the record and staff report note the applicant intends to maintain compatibility with the primary structure and that the garage is not visible from 1st Avenue. The board did not attach special design conditions to the demolition approval; members emphasized that replacement materials and final design should remain sensitive to the historic district and noted they expect to review details if issues arise.