Gypsum now has event space in ‘The Downvalley Attic’

Andy Clark has lived in Eagle County long enough to know there isn’t a lot of event space. He and his son, Max, have created a partial answer.

On the third floor of the Alliance Moving Systems warehouse in Gypsum is The Downvalley Attic, a roughly 1,800-square-foot space that can serve any number of functions.

There’s enough staircase landing space for a grill. Inside is a kitchen, a bathroom, a stage big enough for a full band and sound and lighting systems suitable for everything from small-space concerts to sports watch parties.

All the furnishings have come from Alliance’s vast collection of donated items. There’s a love seat that once sat in the study of President Gerald Ford’s Beaver Creek home. There’s a pool table, a vintage jukebox, and enough tables and chairs to suit just about any need. There’s also memorabilia from Vail’s long hockey history, and golf clubs and vintage album covers adorn the walls.

Guests have contributed

The memorabilia isn’t all from donations to Alliance. A guest recently noticed the jukebox, and a few days later showed up with some records that can be loaded into the machine. One is from Elvis Presley.

There’s also a propeller from what had to be a very small plane, but it’s World War II vintage, and in pristine condition.

Items include just about every jersey you can imagine from Vail’s hockey history, along with framed photos and newspaper clippings featuring people associated with those teams and clubs.

Clark said the space has only recently been finished, but it’s already hosted a handful of events. There are album release events coming for local groups that have recorded music at Maxed Out Sound, the recording studio on the second floor.

Clark is also thinking bigger, with an eye toward youth and other community groups. Clark said the idea is to make The Downvalley Attic accessible to those who want to provide positive messages to local youth, and perhaps involve local police.

“I want to break down that natural apprehensiveness” between kids and cops, Clark said.

This isn’t a public space — you have to reserve it through Clark. If your group wants adult beverages at an event, that group has to hire a trained and certified bartender and carry liability insurance.

But the space is there, it’s available, and it’s pretty neat.

A corporate event would have to rent the space, Clark said. There’s enough audio-visual equipment to host just about any kind of training presentation. But youth groups including the local Young Life chapter can use the space without charge.

“My hope is local businesses could sponsor” local youth groups, Clark said. “My real motive is to get kids and families a place to gather,” he added. “This isn’t about profit.”

‘Mission creep’

The Attic is a classic example of “mission creep,” Clark said. The project started with Clark and his son, Max, building Maxed Out Sound, the recording studio on the warehouse’s second floor.

That studio is fully equipped with keyboards — including a magnificent-sounding baby grand piano, drums, microphones, amplifiers and recording equipment. There are isolation rooms for vocals or acoustic guitar parts.

Max Clark has put the studio to good use for his own country music recordings, and he has worked with friends for music, podcasts and voiceover work.

When the studio was complete, Andy Clark climbed a ladder up to the third floor and thought, “We could really do something with this.”

The Downvalley Attic is the result.