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Aspen resident: Fix at Burlingame took too long

Karl Herchenroeder
The Aspen Times

A family that recently moved into Burlingame Phase II affordable housing is frustrated with the city of Aspen after waiting about a month this summer for water-leak damage to get fixed.

Joe and Laura Quigley — who have three toddlers, one born June 23 — are one of two families that were displaced in August when their units at 440 Paepcke Drive were damaged by a plumbing failure. Centennial-based Haselden Construction built the units.

Joe Quigley said they lost use of a nursery, a kids’ room and a bathroom in their Category 4, three-level unit on July 31. Repair work was completed by Aug. 28. Quigley said they were told initially that the work would take 14 days, but within a week, it was clear that repairs would take longer.



“It was a logistical nightmare,” Quigley said. “Moving out with the newborn was not very appetizing.”

With the top two levels of both units deemed livable by the Building Department, the families were given the option to relocate. The Quigleys stayed in their unit for two weeks before relocating for about five days at the Inn at Aspen. They paid for the stay and are waiting on reimbursement from the city.




“His family was significantly inconvenienced, so I can’t blame Joe (Quigley) for being dissatisfied,” said Chris Everson, affordable housing project manager for Aspen’s Capital Asset Department.

The insurance claim is pending and should be closed soon, Everson added. He said the Quigleys will be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses as well as expenses not incurred, including lost use of their basement.

“So while I understand that Joe (Quigley) may be dissatisfied with the process, he’s also benefiting a little, as well,” Everson said.

With the city completing about $114,000 worth of work across three units in a month, Everson said maybe the case can be made that the city dropped the ball.

“I don’t know. It was a lot of work in a short period of time,” Everson said.

Project Manager Jack Wheeler said it is unclear whether the leak was caused by a product defect, as test results are pending on the elbow fitting joint that came apart and also caused damage to a third, unoccupied unit. Both families have since surveyed the units with the contractor and accepted the fixes, with minor, punch-list items, Wheeler said.

Everson said 47 families moved into the complex between January and August, and there haven’t been any other incidents of displacement.

herk@aspentimes.com