SNOWMASS VILLAGE — Base Village is projected to be finished two years earlier than anticipated.
Base Village developer Related WestPac presented a construction schedule on Monday to the Snowmass Village Town Council that shows an accelerated construction time frame for the base project, which was up until recently scheduled to conclude in 2013.
But by combining two phases of construction of the core base area, and moving up the time frame of the three outlying residential buildings, Base Village can be mostly complete by 2011. Ten cabins on the side of Fanny Hill would be finished in 2012.
Town Council approved a construction plan that essentially outlines the work that will be done this year and next, and applauded the notion of getting done early.
“If you’re telling me that you are bringing more beds online sooner than later, I think that is to the advantage of how the retail and commercial will work,” said Snowmass Mayor Doug “Merc” Mercatoris. “I think this is better than what we had.”
Following is an outline of what can be anticipated this summer and beyond.
More of the same in 2008
Work is currently ongoing to complete the three buildings behind the children’s center, known collectively as Capitol Peak Lodge. Officially called buildings 2a, 2b and 2c, this group should be done by Thanksgiving and contain a total of 75 residential units plus ground-floor commercial space.
The first Base Village restaurant, an ice cream shop and café called Sweet Life, is attempting to open this summer, according to Related WestPac representatives. Another restaurant space, containing Liquid Sky and Junk, should be open by next ski season.
Work also continues on the parking garage, although by next ski season only guests of Base Village will be able to park in the garage. Day skiers will have 150 spots in Lot C.
This fall, Brush Creek Road near the Snowmass Center will be closed for utility work.
Construction begins on buildings 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 — the balance of the core Base Village buildings — which represent 110 residential units and most of the rest of the commercial space in Base Village.
Base fills out in 2009
Two smaller buildings containing mostly restaurant and retail spaces should be done by the beginning of the ski season of 2009, as well as the arrival center, which contains eight residential units but will serve the important function of being the drop-off point for mass-transit riders.
Along with that will be the full debut of the parking garage, which will have 200 day skier spaces. A total of 21 residential units are projected to be completed in 2009. Building 12, with 41 units, begins construction next year, too.
Core done in 2010
Three major buildings are proposed to be done in 2010, representing a large chunk of the residential and the balance of the commercial space in Base Village.
Both Base Village hotels — the 32-suite Little Nell Snowmass and the Viceroy — are expected to debut in 2010. The 232-room Viceroy should open in February or March, a few months later than the anticipated early season opening date.
Related WestPac representatives said they were delayed by about three months awaiting approval of changes to the hotel building, including removing columns in the ballroom
Two buildings near the hotel are proposed to be changed to fractional ownership, Related WestPac President Pat Smith said last year.
In total, a whopping 321 residential units should come online in 2010. Also planned is a roundabout where the current intersection of Brush Creek, Wood and Kearns roads are now.
The balance
By ski season 2011, the rest of the residential buildings in Base Village (10, 11 and 12) — representing 181 residences — should be done. No more commercial use is coming online, unless the aqua center that’s planned for completion in April 2011 is counted.
With 50 units, building 11 is under contract to be sold to a partnership including Chaffin Light Associates, longtime Snowmass developers who plan to change its use to a lodging membership program.
The 10 Fanny Hill cabins should be done in 2012.
