The Gant Aspen announces historic fire resiliency plan

The Gant’s homeowners have approved a comprehensive Campus Improvement Plan with the aim of strengthening wildfire resilience and improving the safety and infrastructure of Aspen’s iconic condominium resort. 

The new plan is the result of several years of evaluation and discussion by The Gant’s Board of Directors, owners, management team, and professional advisors, according to a press release. Donnie Lee, general manager of The Gant, told The Aspen Times that what began as conversations years ago about a long-term plan for maintenance and improvement were compounded by pressure from wildfire mitigation initiatives and property insurance exposure.

“We all began a process of understanding what’s really driving that, and what are the steps that need to be done to make the property resilient,” Lee said. “All of those things began to inform our long-range plan in order to really preserve the property and create a defensible space. This really does reset The Gant for the next 40 years. We’re excited about it.”

The plan primarily focuses on addressing wildfire risk, preserving infrastructure, and evolving insurance and safety requirements. 

“As environmental and regulatory pressures continue to grow across mountain communities, the project is intended to ensure The Gant remains a safe, insurable, and competitive resort,” the release states.

The Campus Improvement Plan was approved through a formal homeowner vote, conducted via an independent third-party platform and verified by legal counsel. Over 90% of the homeowners participated in the vote, Lee said, and 64% of the owners approved the plan. One reason for hesitancy was the total cost of the project, which is estimated at $63.5 million.

The project will now progress to detailed design, permitting, and construction planning phases. Lee emphasized that preserving The Gant’s character in alignment with the improvements is at the forefront of conversations.

“Preserving the character of The Gant is a vital piece of this,” Lee said.

He added via prepared statement in the press release, “This project is fundamentally about protecting The Gant for the long-term. Wildfire mitigation, infrastructure resiliency, and insurability are no longer optional considerations in Aspen, they are essential.”

According to Lou Eppelsheimer, director of sales and marketing at The Gant, the plan was bolstered by The Gant’s recent 50th anniversary and the goal of preserving it for the future.

“In 2023, we celebrated our 50th anniversary, which gave us an opportunity to look back,” Eppelsheimer said. “But it was also a pivot point. We looked at: where do we go from here?” 

Project scope and objectives

The Campus Improvement Plan’s resort-wide improvements are aimed at enhancing wildfire mitigation through the use of fire-resistant materials, which includes cementitious siding, cementitious exterior plaster, and thermally modified wood siding, as well as a standing seam metal roof, and “thoughtful landscape design” utilizing defensible space practices.

“These modern materials were intentionally selected to lower long-term maintenance costs, improve building insulation, and elevate the overall appearance of The Gant while maintaining the classic architecture,” the release states.

The plan also outlines modernizing and upgrading the common amenities — like the pool and lawn spaces — in order to meet the standard of current risk management and compliance. 

New metal railings will help improve overall safety and enhanced lighting will be designed to support “wayfinding” while complying with dark sky initiatives.

“The Board’s responsibility is to steward the property on behalf of current and future owners,” Pat Mika, president of the Board of Directors, said in the release. “After extensive analysis and owner engagement, it was clear that taking a proactive, comprehensive approach to fire resilience and infrastructure investment was the prudent path forward. This plan reflects a long-term commitment to preserving the value, integrity, and viability of The Gant.”

Construction timeline

Construction is expected to require a temporary property closure from approximately April 2027 through mid-2028 for the work to be completed in a single, coordinated phase. 

“We initially looked at doing this over a multiple-year schedule, but it’s hard to do a project of this magnitude and do it in bite-sized pieces,” Lee said. “We determined that doing it all at once is painful, but it’s less painful in the long run than trying to do it for multiple years.”

According to Lee, plans will also be put in place to help mitigate for the disruption to staff employed by The Gant.

“We have a great team and we intend to do the best we can to take care of that team,” Lee said. “That’s one of the things we’ll be working on.”

And even with the physical closure, Lou Eppelsheimer, director of sales and marketing at The Gant, said that a lot will still be going on behind the scenes.

“We think it’s a great opportunity to make sure we have an investment in our brand and make sure that our character and story is at the forefront when we reopen,” Eppelsheimer said. “We’re really excited to tell the story of The Gant for the next 50 years.” 

The Gant will remain fully operational through the summer of 2026 and the 2026–27 winter season, with advance reservations expected to be accepted for the summer of 2028. A soft reopening is anticipated in June 2028, followed by a grand reopening that July. 

“We are committing to being a condominium resort and an iconic property in Aspen for the foreseeable future,” Lee said. “It has been a deliberate process from a group of people who genuinely care about The Gant and our community. We all live here, we’re invested. I got married here, I raised three kids here. It runs through our soul. What I’m proud of is the work that we’ve done to get to this point. Our ownership is committed to Aspen and to The Gant.”