Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Longtime Steamboat Springs contracting executive Steve Cavanagh has been hired to resolve problems and get construction restarted on the long-dormant The Chadwick condominium project.

"The new ownership group has hired me to get people paid and get the project back under way," said Cavanagh, who has been working since August as the project's new senior development manger. "All of the local liens have been released."

The Chadwick site, at Village Drive and AprÃs Ski Way, is among the most prominent at the base of the Steamboat Ski Area. It is diagonally across the intersection from the gondola parking lot, which also is slated for future development. Construction on The Chadwick stopped in late January -- the foundation is in place but the building has not been started. When completed, it would include 23 luxury condominiums ranging in price from $600,000 to $1.2 million. The ground floor of the six-story building would be occupied by commercial tenants.

Original developer Richard Friedman announced in early July that he had brought a new general partner and two limited partners into Steamboat Ventures. The new development entity is Mountain View Development, a Colorado limited liability company based in Los Angeles. General partner Steve Sirang could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Friedman emphasized that he has become a silent partner in The Chadwick, though he remains actively involved in the nearby Chadwick Place and Chadwick Estates. Although those projects share a name and will offer the same concierge services to their owners, there is no business connection among The Chadwick condominiums, Friedman added.

Cavanagh said he is in the midst of resolving remaining financial settlements with several of the construction firms involved in the first phase of the project. He declined to comment on the status of talks with Fort Collins-based general contractor Drahota Construction. Principal Terry Drahota was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

Documents on file at the Routt County Courthouse confirm that subcontractors, including Native Excavating and Routt County Concrete, have released liens filed earlier in the year.

Drahota maintained a construction trailer and kept a pickup parked at the site throughout the spring and most of the summer. However, the company removed its equipment late last month.

The status of The Chadwick came up at this week's Steamboat Springs City Council meeting. City Manager Paul Hughes wrote to express concern about the status of the construction site.

Friedman wrote in response: "It is our sincere intent to restart vertical construction and complete the building as soon as possible. Although we continue to work on sub grade and utilities, vertical construction should recommence between Halloween and Thanksgiving."

Friedman had predicted in early July that construction would resume during the summer. This week, he called the new partnership a "great team" and emphasized his intent to see the building completed.

"This building will be built, and it will be built just as it was approved," Friedman said.

Cavanagh declined to comment on the construction timetable.

-- To reach Tom Ross call 871-4205

or e-mail tross@steamboatpilot.com