Aspen City Council dipped its collective toe into reviewing three major lodging proposals. Officials came closer to approving a fourth, calling it an example of how building should be done in Aspen. That’s after an hours long meeting at City Hall last night.
Below is the transcript for reporter Elise Thatcher's story.
Reporter: The new Sky Hotel is steps closer to getting a green light. The developer unveiled changes tailored for council members’ concerns… and bringing the entire project into compliance with the city code. In other words, it no longer requires special exceptions… which is unusual. Council member Ann Mullins.
Ann Mullins: “It is so refreshing, it’s fabulous to see a project with no variances. It confirms that the land use code actually can work, and can use a good project.
Applicant: “Yes, thank you…”
Mullins: “And that’s what we have tonight.”
Reporter: The plan is to demolish and rebuild the hotel, which is located on the east side of town. To meet the existing code, architects lowered the height and changed the design to fit more seamlessly with the surrounding area. Free market residences were dropped. In the end, the project would add hotel rooms and fractionals, as well as more affordable housing and more parking spaces than required.
Jim Smith: “I think it’s a good project you guys have. All my comments relate to let’s make sure that we have a realistic depiction of the result, so nobody is surprised, and we make decisions based on full disclosure of everything that’s going to happen.”
Reporter: Jim Smith was one of ten people who stayed late to comment on the Sky Hotel. All spoke in favor of the project, with Smith and one other voicing a few notes of caution.
Reporter: Council had a very different tone when considering two other lodging developments.
Chicago developer and transplant Mark Hunt is proposing two hotels with small rooms. The idea is to keep prices down and increase affordable lodging market in Aspen. Both projects ask for lots of exceptions from city code. While considering plans for one of them, involving building across from City Market, Council member Dwayne Romero had some sharp questions.
Dwayne Romero: “The totality of the variances are in my view staggering. How did you come about this particular proposal, in the face of all the other constraints that you’re fully aware in the town. Housing and height and scale and commercial design, among others.”
Reporter: Such proposals normally get waved through a first appearance before City Council. But last night Romero, himself a long time real estate developer, cast an unusual vote against the Hunt projects. Another major question on those hotels is about parking. Hunts hotels would lease parking spaces from the Rio Grande Parking garage, instead of creating new spaces. Mayor Steve Skadron raised a big picture question for his colleagues… about using cars in Aspen overall.
Steve Skadron: “Parking is a problem here. I don’t know what the answer is. What I do know is that the traditional discussion we have about parking doesn’t work. And we have to do something to move the discussion forward.”
Reporter: Skadron says the goal should be keeping cars out of core part of Aspen— rather than figuring out ways to accommodate more cars brought by people staying at new or redeveloped lodges.
City Council will continue to review the Sky Hotel, the Hunt projects, and one other hotel proposal. That’s the Molly Gibson redevelopment... which expands the number of lodging rooms, and does have several requested exceptions. Council gave initial approval last night...with officials asking for more information about certain aspects of the development-- like exactly how parking would work.
