YOUR AD HERE »

Ski Time Square development plan returns

Proposal for base area site includes 5 buildings

Skier Chris Hennessy walks across Ski Time Square Drive on Monday to take a couple of late afternoon runs on Mount Werner. At tonight’s City Council meeting, officials from The Atira Group will present a revised redevelopment plan for Ski Time Square.
John F. Russell

If you go

What: Steamboat Springs

City Council meeting

When: 5 p.m. today

Where: Centennial Hall on 10th Street

On the agenda

■ 5 p.m. Report from citizens’ committee studying affordable housing; discussion of Iron Horse Inn redevelopment; discussion of housing attainability program for the proposed Steamboat 700 annexation; resolution adopting the Howelsen Hill Rodeo Master Plan

■ 7 p.m. Public comment; review of proposed development plan for Ski Time Square; second and potentially final reading of ordinances that would extend the vesting period for four developments, one at the base of Steamboat Ski Area, one on Curve Plaza and two in the Hilltop Parkway area, all approved in 2006

Online

Learn more about The Atira Group’s redevelopment plans for Ski Time Square on the Web at http://www.steamboat

p>redev.com. Learn about the developers at http://www.theatiragroup...





Skier Chris Hennessy walks across Ski Time Square Drive on Monday to take a couple of late afternoon runs on Mount Werner. At tonight’s City Council meeting, officials from The Atira Group will present a revised redevelopment plan for Ski Time Square.
John F. Russell

On the agenda

■ 5 p.m. Report from citizens’ committee studying affordable housing; discussion of Iron Horse Inn redevelopment; discussion of housing attainability program for the proposed Steamboat 700 annexation; resolution adopting the Howelsen Hill Rodeo Master Plan

■ 7 p.m. Public comment; review of proposed development plan for Ski Time Square; second and potentially final reading of ordinances that would extend the vesting period for four developments, one at the base of Steamboat Ski Area, one on Curve Plaza and two in the Hilltop Parkway area, all approved in 2006

Online



Learn more about The Atira Group’s redevelopment plans for Ski Time Square on the Web at http://www.steamboat

p>redev.com. Learn about the developers at http://www.theatiragroup…

— The Atira Group tonight will present its Ski Time Square development plan — a proposal that includes five buildings with about 200 residential units and seven commercial spaces near the base of the ski area — along with an apparent resolution of issues with the Ski Time Square Condominium Association.



Those issues with the nearby condo association were one reason the Steamboat Springs City Council tabled the development plan in October. Another reason was to allow more time for discussion of interim plans for the 4.6-acre site, for which Atira has requested a grace period of 10 years before pulling a building permit. Heading into tonight’s City Council meeting, progress appears to have been made on both reasons for the delay.

Joe Somers is president of the association representing owners of the 80 units at Ski Time Square Condominiums. He said Monday that the association has successfully worked with Steve Peer, president of Washington, D.C.-based Cafritz Interests, to resolve concerns about the condominiums’ parking and access.

The condominiums’ parking garage, next to the Tugboat Gill & Pub, will remain in place in the redevelopment of Ski Time Square, Somers said. He added that access issues to the condominiums along Burgess Creek Road will be resolved as development plans progress.

“We had all kinds of fears, but I think we should be confident of his trustworthiness,” Somers said about Peer. “Ski Time Square Condos is built to last, and we’re up there for the duration, whatever that is.”

Somers’ association formally removed its opposition to the development plan in a letter sent to City Council on Jan. 11 by local attorney Sarah Claassen.

Atira is redeveloping Ski Time Square and Thunderhead Lodge on behalf of Cafritz Interests, which purchased the properties in 2007. The former Ski Time Square buildings were demolished in 2008, with the exception of the Tugboat.

City planning staff and the Steamboat Springs Planning Commission have recommended a grace period of six years, rather than the 10 requested by Atira.

City Council has discussed interim uses of Ski Time Square for the past two months with Mark Mat­hews, Atira vice president for dev­­­e­­­lopment. Mat­hews’ proposals have included working with the Tugboat for outdoor events, a community garden and more.

“We’ve seen some progress with the activities this weekend, with the Land Rovers,” City Councilman Walter Magill said, referring to a Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. event that brought Land Rover test drives to Ski Time Square. “I’m satisfied with the effort they’ve made to date.”

The development plan includes a condition that Atira reach an agreement with the city detailing the site’s interim use within 90 days after development approval.

Magill said the residential-heavy plan for Ski Time Square could need more public spaces and vibrancy.

“I’d like to see more with the development proposal at this time — we want that area to be a hub of activity,” he said. “That’s to their best interest, too.”

Tonight’s public hearing will provide Atira with City Council feedback on the development plan, which is conceptual in nature. Approval of a final development plan, which Atira will present at a later date, is needed before the project can be built and includes architectural specifics rather than renderings.

Tonight’s meeting begins at 5 p.m. in Centennial Hall on 10th Street.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Steamboat and Routt County make the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.