Proposed mixed-use development moves forward at Glenwood Springs council meeting

Two options: one with more housing but less parking

By John Gardner
Post Independent Staff
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado
March 7, 2008

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GLENWOOD SPRINGS — City council members decided to move forward with planning of a proposed mixed use development in Glenwood Springs that would add approximately 116,000 square feet of residential, retail and parking to downtown. It would help revitalize downtown with added retail space and housing, to include some affordable housing units while adding parking as well.

“This is too valuable of an opportunity to pass up,” said Glenwood councilman Dave Merritt.

The planned Seventh & Colorado Redevelopment will be located between Seventh
and Eighth Street along Colorado Avenue across from the Garfield County Court
house. The property is currently public parking, owned by the city, behind businesses
that face Grand Avenue and 8th street.

“It’s just in the conceptual stage at this point,” said Glenwood city manager Jeff
Hecksel. “We have some elevations and some conceptual floor plans, but what’s
most important at this point is how we decide to use the space.”

The city and the Downtown Development Association have developed two different
options for the property. Both options call for roughly the same square footage but
vary in number of retail, residential and parking options. One of the plans details 52
residential units with 144 parking spaces, 68 of which would be residential parking,
leaving about 76 spaces for public use. The other plan would lower the residential
units to 46 and raise the parking to 220 spots, raising the number of public use spots.
But it’s the parking that is expensive.

“Parking is costing about $50,000 per parking space,” Hecksel said.

A funding gap of approximately $15.5 million is estimated for the lower housing units
option. The plan with more housing and less parking is estimated to have a funding
gap of around $11 million.

Coming up with different options of how to close the gap is the next issue.

“We aren’t going to pour $11 million of the public’s money into the project,” said
Mayor Bruce Christensen.

The biggest question is whether to have more or less parking.

“I’m very much in favor of going forward with this,” said councilman Russ Arensman.
“But if we have to compromise parking to reduce the gap, then that is the way to go.”

Contact John Gardner: 384-9114

jgardner@postindependent.com


Post Independent, Glenwood Springs, Colorado CO