Fridstein: Snowmass must build better

Surprisingly, the largest developer of construction projects in Snowmass Village is now the Town government. Current and future projects include the new Little Red Schoolhouse, the Draw site workforce housing, future workforce housing behind the Snowmass Center, the Mall Transit Center, and a roundabout at the intersection of Brush Creek and Owl Creek roads. Each of these substantial projects, if not carefully planned and executed, could disrupt the unique character that defines Snowmass Village.

As a long-time community member and architect who designed award-winning buildings around the world I understand Snowmass Village is more than just a place to live; it is a community steeped in character, where the natural beauty of our surroundings inspires us. I hope to be elected to a second term on the Snowmass Village Town Council to ensure these projects are successful for our community.

The Little Red Schoolhouse will have a wonderful new building in a few years that will support a first-rate early learning program. The first design proposed by the architects was too large and expensive and did not fit the character of the Village. I was joined by others on Town Council in rejecting this design and re-directing the architects. The revised design was a resounding success; appropriately scaled, attractive, and within budget and will be a great asset to our families with young children.

Town staff is determined to build an oversized and expensive workforce housing complex on the steep and narrow Draw Site above Town Hall consisting of 79 apartments at a cost of $86 million. Two residential slab towers would be connected by a very costly underground garage. The underground garage alone will cost a staggering $20-30 million, delay the project by a year, and require about 3,600 dump-truck loads to remove the soil, putting 7,200 dump-truck trips on Brush Creek Road. All entry and exit to and from the buildings would be from one undersized motor court in front of the lower building with 80 cars entering and exiting the garage, delivery trucks, garbage trucks, car drop offs and all pedestrians entering and exiting the building on one small plaza. This large project on this steep site does not appear to be a desirable place for 200 people to live.

Moreover, the financial implications of this vastly expensive development are concerning as it will utilize the excess collections of sales and lodging tax to cover debt payments over 30 years. The Town’s Financial Advisory Board has questioned the wisdom of this large expenditure financed with a variable funding source. What happens if sales and lodging taxes slump in the future? How will the Town finance future housing projects if so much of our Town funding is expended on the Draw site?

Fortunately, there is a better solution that Councilmember Britta Gustafson and I have been proposing to Council and staff. The Town is negotiating to purchase the land behind the Snowmass Center which will be a more favorable location to build workforce housing as it is larger and adjacent to the shops and transit at the Snowmass Center. It is no longer necessary to overbuild on the Draw site and the Center site will be a much nicer place to live. We are proposing the Draw Site project be re-designed without the expensive underground garage. It would have 40-50 apartments in one building with all parking at grade on terraced lots. The building would have a normal front door and traffic pattern. It would be substantially less expensive, could be built much quicker, and would allow the Town to direct more resources to developing the superior Snowmass Center site. Additionally, the Town should prepare a master plan for all workforce housing envisioned on the Draw and Snowmass Center sites including how these projects will be financed. Unfortunately, there has been no consideration of this less expensive solution or a comprehensive master plan.

Snowmass voters will have a chance to weigh in on this issue in a ballot question in the upcoming election. This is only a vote regarding the Draw site project and is not a referendum on workforce housing. A NO vote would force the Town to re-design the oversized and extremely costly $86 million project and bring an appropriately scaled design back to the voters.

The overscaled and unsafe Mall Transit Center design promoted by Town staff was resoundingly defeated by the Planning Commission as well as the voices of many members of the community in 2023. An alternate 2-level design has been proposed that would be safer and visually more compact. The Town should move forward with this revised 2-level design while federal and state funding is still available. Unfortunately, Town staff has been mired in proposing short-term “fixes” to the existing unsafe and functionally questionable RFTA and shuttle stations. The Town deserves a first-rate unified transit center which will improve user experiences and reduce the use of private cars. Another huge bonus for the community would occur when the current shuttle station is vacated thus allowing the owners of the Snowmass Mall to revitalize the Mall by redeveloping a portion including new shops, restaurants, condos, and 23 new workforce housing units without displacing existing shops and tenants.

Regarding the roundabout, there are only about 10 days annually when traffic backs up at this intersection. Many community members have objected to building this “urbanizing” roundabout and question whether it is necessary, yet Town staff is developing the design. Does the community want to endure traffic delays and detours during the construction of a roundabout that is not yet, and possibly never, truly required? These designs should be put away until such time as traffic volumes actually require an upgrade to this intersection.

How can Snowmass build better? The Town Council must be more thoughtful in considering the long-term environmental and financial impacts of large-scale capital projects. Town staff must present the Town Council with multiple options throughout the design process, including those supported by a minority of the Council that might win a majority if presented. Highly qualified architects must be engaged for every project because Snowmass Village deserves the best talents shaping its environment. The community should become more actively engaged in expressing their views on all proposed projects and the community must elect leaders that understand the need for Snowmass to build better.

I hope to be elected to another term on Town Council so I can help Snowmass build better.

Tom Fridstein is a candidate for re-election to Snowmass Town Council. He can be reached at tfridstein@sedgco.com.