Snowmass Center redevelopment brings support, concerns from business owners

Few Snowmass restaurants offer a $16 burger. 

The Daly Diner, a local favorite in the Snowmass Center with a food menu consistently priced below $20, has fought inflation. The iconic pizza establishment, Taster’s, has also managed to keep its prices down. 

But with the Snowmass Center plan for redevelopment approved in its first reading by town council on Monday, owners are not sure what the future will hold for their businesses.  

---

---

“Our main question is what is their rent going to be?” said Heather Huber, co-owner of both the Daly Diner and Taster’s, which are located in the center.

Huber said the businesses would like to stay at the center after the redevelopment, final approval of which will be decided by council in late January. But she worries the developers, Eastwood Snowmass Investors, may increase rent, making it harder for the businesses to provide reasonable prices for the community. 

---

---

The current redevelopment plan increases the footprint of the existing Snowmass Center by 24%, doubles the size of the post office, and expands Clark’s Market. It also includes a central atrium on the corner of Clark’s Market, and a rooftop green area to serve as community spaces.

This comes as the town attempts to buy over three acres of land owned by Eastwood to build up to 130 units of workforce housing. But the sale of the land, located behind the center, is contingent on council’s approval of the redevelopment. 

In response to the question of rent, Kathleen Wanatowicz, who runs community relations for Eastwood, told The Aspen Times the developers will offer a lease extension to all current tenants of the Snowmass Center.

With the existing lease term, an extension would allow Taster’s and the Daly Diner to stay at the Center until 2041, should they choose to, according to Eastwood.

“We would like to stay here of course,” Huber said. 

She said the industry standard for restaurants is to pay 10% of gross profit toward rent, though she declined to disclose the rent of the current lease agreement. In the future Huber said she’s not sure what type of lease agreement they’d have with Eastwood.

“I would assume it would be a lot higher than that,” she said of the 10% standard payment. 

Should rent go up, they’d have to raise their prices to compensate, she said. But Huber thinks it’s necessary to redevelop the Snowmass Center due to the age of the building. The center is nearly 50 years old.

Snowmass Council member Tom Fridstein asked on Monday that Eastwood ensure they set aside at least two spaces for restaurants. He also requested that they put in restaurant infrastructure, such as restaurant ventilation systems and grease traps. 

Though she said the company doesn’t yet know what kind of infrastructure they will incorporate into each space, Wanatowicz told The Aspen Times they envision a dedicated space for both Taster’s and the Daly Diner.

“Eastwood will work with local serving businesses to be successful,” she said. 

Huber said she hopes the renovated spaces will include hood fans and walk-ins for refrigerating items. 

“Not just an empty shell,” she said, adding, “Council is on our side to get developers to carry that price tag.”

Building out a restaurant space can cost upwards of $500,000, she said. 

Eastwood did not specify where the restaurant would lease space in the redevelopment, but they plan to set aside spaces to lease on both the upper and lower floors, according to Wanatowicz.

“Location is everything,” Huber said, preferring her businesses remain on the first floor. 

Huber added that Eastwood has been a great landlord thus far. She said they try to work with the businesses that rent space in the building and care about their tenants. 

G Pine, owner of Ajax Supply hardware store, which is located on the second floor of the Snowmass Center, said she is both happy and worried about the redevelopment plan. Eastwood told Pine the hardware store could be relocated to ground level in the redevelopment, which she expects will help her business.

“Right now our location is a little bit odd,” Pine said.

But she said she worries about access to her business during construction. 

Clark’s Market Director of Marketing Samantha Johnston said the company didn’t want to speculate about their business operations in the renovated market. But Tom Clark, president and CEO of Clark’s Market, said they are thrilled Snowmass took a step toward building workforce housing by approving the redevelopment plan in its first reading Monday.

Sundance Liquor & Gifts declined to speak with The Aspen Times.

Skyler Stark-Ragsdale can be reached at 970-429-9152 or email him at sstark-ragsdale@aspentimes.com.