Steamboat Pilot & Today

Ron and Elizabeth Young are not taking "no" for an answer when it comes to their Blackhawk Townhomes development, which used to be called Flat Tops Townhomes. When architect Scott Myller presents the Youngs' project to the Steamboat Springs Planning Commission tonight, it will be the third time he's done so this year.

The Planning Commission reviewed the Flat Tops development twice, voting 8-0 to table the project for architectural changes on Feb. 24, and 6-3 to recommend denial of the plan on March 23.

The development is proposed to be built about 400 yards from the Silver Bullet Gondola on Village Drive.

The Flat Tops development also was turned down by City Council on May 16 by a vote of 4-2 because, to some council members, the architecture was too dissimilar from that of the surrounding area. They cited the city's architectural design guidelines as their reason for rejecting the project.

Other City Council members, such as Jim Engelken, were uncomfortable with the decision to reject the project on architectural grounds. Engelken objected to a decision he believed was based primarily on "taste." Council split on whether the townhomes, whose flat roofs and overall look were deemed not harmonious with neighboring buildings with more alpine themes, represented an innovative break with the past or visual pollution.

More than 30 neighbors wrote to council urging the body to reject the Flat Tops proposal.

This time, the Youngs and their architects, Myller and Katie Kiefer of West Elevation Architects, have modified the structures to blend in with neighboring townhomes, which include the Cascades at Eagleridge and Trappeur's Crossing.

The architects have modified the buildings to a degree they think will appease the Planning Commission and City Council. They have replaced the flat roofs with sloped ones and copper siding with cedar siding. The new development also will have a concrete block base. The developers are not planning to make any other major changes to the project. It still will contain 24 townhome units and a courtyard and retains elements of its former design.

"It was disappointing to follow the rules and be denied, but we haven't totally turned off our creativity," Myller said. "This is still a project we can be proud of."

To reach Avi Salzman call 871-4203

or e-mail asalzman@amigo.net