Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — It still needs a couple of interior walls, a few coats of paint, and other finishing touches, but the Chieftain building at Fourth Street and Lincoln Avenue has its certificate of occupancy and already has made a big impression downtown.

"Overall everybody's had positive things to say about it. The planning department was really looking for quality development, and was happy to see it go in," architect Bill Rangitsch said.

Part of the reason planners and community members are pleased with the Chieftain may be because developer Bruce Caplowe went to the city before drawing up his plans and asked officials exactly what the community needed and wanted, Caplowe said.

The attractive, sturdy-looking building is different from other retail, office and residential space in town because of the way it was built, Colorado Group Realty's Jim Cook said.

"It is a wonderfully constructed building. It was built to be here a hundred years from now," Cook added.

Outside of the redbrick building is a heated sidewalk that is expected to eliminate the hassle of shoveling snow.

"Suffice it to say, it is a very, very expensive building," said Cook, who was reluctant to share the details of the total costs.

The building permit for the Chieftain shows that just the shell of the structure was valued for fee purposes at more than $1.45 million.

Caplowe, the owner the building, was less shy than Cook.

"I wanted nothing but the best it all has to be just right. It's the little details that make the difference," he said, partially unfurling a thick roll of carpet for which he paid wholesale $38 per square yard.

There will be at least four storefronts on the main level, ranging in size from 734 square feet to 1,107 square feet, and priced between $215,000 and $330,000. Professional office spaces on the second floor are going for $173,900 to $269,800 and range from 915 square feet to 1,420 square feet. There will be at least five office spaces.

"No single tenant has any more than 1,500 square feet," Cook said.

The one exception is the corner lot, which will eventually be occupied by a restaurant. Several restaurants have expressed serious interest in the space, but one has not yet been chosen. The restaurant should be up and running by mid-fall, Caplowe and Cook agreed.

"We want to make sure the concept of the restaurant is right the space works where there would be a bistro, bar and dining on the first level, then fine dining up above," Cook explained. "It would be like Harwig's/L'Apogee, but vertical."

Some of the Chieftain's other storefronts and office spaces will be occupied by a software firm, an attorney, a stock broker, Steamboat Architectural Associates, Caplowe's Zing store, and a women's boutique. Within 30 days, specific information about those businesses will be released.

"We do have remaining retail space available, but as soon as the first business goes in, they'll sell right away. That's the way it goes," Cook said.

The Chieftain is topped by two spectacular apartments with 14-foot ceilings, large outdoor patios, and impressive views. Both have been spoken for.

There was an overwhelming number of residents interested in the apartments, said Caplowe, who declined to say how much the dwellings went for.

"They're centrally located, there's really no maintenance, all tenants are given a remote control and space for indoor parking it's no wonder so many people were interested," he said.

Finish work has begun, and the first tenants will be opening their doors in the latter part of July.

"All you need to make something this great is money," Caplowe said. "We Rangitsch and I wanted the building to be ageless. We wanted it to have an extra oomph to stand out a little, and to be classy."

To reach Bonnie Nadzam call 871-4205 or e-mail bnadzam@amigo.net