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Town Council OKs architecture plans for One Snowmass

Erica Robbie
The Aspen Times
A rendering of the future site of "One Snowmass," or Base Village Buildings 7 and 8. The Snowmass Town Council on Tuesday approved the developers' final architecture plans for the buildings.
Courtesy image |

While the future inside Base Village Building 6 remains less certain after the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies on Tuesday declined the town of Snowmass’ offer to co-develop the space, plans for Buildings 7 and 8 are progressing.

At a Town Council meeting earlier this week, the five elected officials unanimously voted to approve the final architecture plans for Buildings 7 and 8, which the developers are referring to as “One Snowmass.”

The resolution, however, included one condition: the developers must conduct a “reflectivity study” to be sure the light reflected from the two buildings is not an issue for its neighboring lodges.



During the public comment, part-time Snowmass resident Pat Keefer, who owns a condominium unit at Capitol Peak Lodge, voiced her concern with the buildings’ “glazing.”

“The time to address this would be now,” Keefer said before the council, “because once it’s built, I don’t think anybody’s going to go back” and resolve any issues.




Snowmass Mayor Markey Butler agreed to implement the conditional approval, with Town Councilman Tom Goode also adding, “I want sensitivity to this issue.”

A few other Snowmass condo unit owners at the meeting also expressed a collective desire to see a pool or “some sort of aquatic facility” at One Snowmass.

Citing an article in Tuesday’s Aspen Daily News regarding Buildings 7 and 8 that said a “rooftop infinity-style pool is also envisioned,” Hayden Lodge Condominium Association President Stuart Nathan said, “The concept of an infinity pool caught my eye in that article and triggered my thinking more and more about this.”

Initial conversations regarding a pool in Buildings 7 or 8 dates back to the Base Village project’s original approvals in 2004. At Tuesday’s meeting, East West managing partner Andy Gunion mentioned a potential hot tub but not a pool.

“When Base Village was getting approved, a lot of those homeowners wrote letters saying they wanted access to a pool on Buildings 7 or 8,” Snowmass Town Manager Clint Kinney explained. “What was agreed in the (planned unit development) agreement constructed is that they would have access.”

Kinney said it is premature and “irrelevant” to delve into such specifics at this time, as the developers will need to return before the council to further discuss details including “parking, pools” and more.

“The designs of the (buildings) are what was approved tonight,” Kinney said.

For now, what’s certain is One Snowmass will continue to provide a mix of residential condominiums, employee units, a medical clinic and retail space, according to a memo from Community Development Director Julie Ann Woods.

The Denver-based firm 4240 Architects is designing Buildings 7 and 8, which will feature more of a “mountain contemporary” style rather than the originally proposed “Anderson Ranch rustic” look, project designer Christian Barlock said.

“We’re inspired by mid-century ski lodges” and celebrating skiing and the environment, Barlock said.

Among other more notable changes in the floor plans for Building 7 are a clerestory in the lobby area of the welcome center, a new open stairwell from the welcome center to village level, a reduction in employee units from four to three, and an increase in retail space at both corners of the building on the village level, the memo states. Building 8, which will offer one employee unit, will include additional food and beverage space as well as a commercial yoga and fitness studio.

The development, which is now approved at 139,532 square feet, is proposed to increase to 142,374 square feet, according to the project summary.

The Town Council commended the developers for some of the changes they made from the original PUD, including the added stairwell.

“I think that addition is going to make a huge difference,” Snowmass Town Councilman Bill Madsen said.

“Kudos to the building design from all of us here at the table,” Butler said, “and I see heads shaking in the audience.”

erobbie@aspentimes.com