Telluride Realty

Bypass to benefit Telluride region

2009-09-18T09:44:00.001-07:00

OURAY — Ouray County is seeking nearly $16 million in federal stimulus funds to reconstruct and pave County Road 1 over Log Hill Mesa and connecting roads to Highway 62 west of Ridgway.

The Board of County Commis-sioners on Monday approved the final version of a Tiger Grant application, made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, following its review during a special meeting on Sept. 8. The grant application was due Sept. 15.
The proposed 15-mile project would upgrade County Roads 1 from Colona over Log Hill Mesa and CR24 and CR 24-D through the east end of Pleasant Valley. County commissioners conceded after last week’s review that the project could make the route a bypass of Ridgway by funneling traffic off Highways 550 and 62.
“This will be a more efficient bypass road," said Commissioner Keith Meinert last week. But, Meinert noted, issues of speed limits, signage, weight limits and traffic enforcement need to be addressed. “I may lean toward favoring it when these questions are answered. People will need to know what the implications are.”
BOCC Chairman Heidi Albritton said last week that the BOCC will fully field public comment to see if county residents “have the political will” for the project, should funding be obtained.
On Monday, Albritton complimented county staff, in particular Administrator Connie Hunt, for putting the grant application together so quickly and so professionally. Albritton said she knows the project may stir controversy.
“But I feel as elected officials it’s important for us to examine all options that will help the community,” said Albritton.
Meinert echoed Albritton’s comments. “I want to assure the public that it can air any concerns,” said Meinert. “We will hold a public forum … if we get this grant. We are not making a commitment today.”
The grant application cites a potential benefit of creating a more convenient and shorter route (by nearly four miles) than the 19-plus miles on the Highway 550 and Highway 62 corridor through Ouray County.
Other benefits include improving safety for school buses and emergency response vehicles, winter travel and by reducing the number of vehicles that use Highway 62 through Ridgway for commuter or delivery travel between Montrose and Telluride; reducing dependence on oil and gas by providing an alternate route that is about 20% shorter; and enhancing air quality by reducing vehicle emissions and particulate matter from (gravel road) dust and the road-surface placement of sand during winter.
“It was a huge project pulling this together,” said Albritton. “It (the application packet) is really well thought out and pulls the picture together. We have a lot of good information to share at a public forum.”
A complete digital copy of the grant application is available at the Ouray County website: www.ouraycountyco.gov/

— By Patrick Davarn, news editor

Telluride Realty and Water

2009-09-12T07:06:00.001-07:00

Written by: Allan Best - Ouray County Watch
Posted by: Erin Eddy

www.ridgwayland.com
www.ourayland.com

With demographers forecasting 35 percent more people in Colorado by 2035 and climate scientists predicting 15 percent less water available in the Colorado River Basin by mid-century, something has to give.

More and more, public officials, business groups and environmental organizations have been talking about additional dams and reservoirs to augment those built in the mid-20th century.

“The water inheritance is running out,” said Josh Penry, the minority leader in the Colorado Senate, in a speech at the summer meeting of the Colorado Water Congress, a consortium of water providers. “Colorado needs to embark on a new round” of storage construction.

“We study too much. We analyze too much,” added Penry, who is from Grand Junction and a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor.

Representatives of environmental groups concede the need for additional storage but also call for restraint.

“There are projects that have significant adverse environmental impact that we could not support,” said Melinda Kassen, managing director of the Western Water Project for Trout Unlimited. “And there are projects that have substantially fewer environmental impacts that we can support,” she said, if mitigation measures are included.

Hovering over these conversations is the ghost of Wayne Aspinall. A onetime schoolteacher and lawyer from the fruit orchards of Palisade, Aspinall possessed neither good looks nor a good speaking voice. He did have a solid command of legislative techniques, however, and an ardent belief in the need to harness and regulate the rivers of the Rockies.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1973, Aspinall helped obtain authorization and federal funding for a series of major dams in the upper Colorado River Basin. Utah’s Lake Powell was the most massive, but a trio of reservoirs on the Gunnison River also resulted from his legislative perseverance. Today, they are collectively designed as the Aspinall Unit.

Growing populations

But if Westerners saw the yoking of rivers into submission as the major task of the mid-20th century, today a more nuanced challenge exists. The limits of abundance have become more apparent.

Most, if not all, of the best dam sites have been taken. Few reliable water supplies remain unclaimed, and those that are unclaimed, such as on the Yampa River of northwestern Colorado, are far from population centers.

Coloradans in the future, as is already the case, can be expected to congregate along the urbanized Front Range corridor. More than three-quarters of the state’s residents currently live in a narrow swath less than 200 miles long. The State Demography Office projects that the population, now at 5 million, by 2035 will nudge 7.8 million – an increase roughly the existing size of metropolitan Denver-Boulder.

Even more staggering population growth has been projected by 2035 for what is called the Colorado River system, an area that includes Denver, Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The existing population of 24 to 30 million people will have grown by another 12 to 15 million. Imagine Las Vegas 11 times over.

In contrast to this uphill population climb, climate scientists see a downward slope for water. Temperature is the major driver.

Computerized simulations differ substantially as to whether precipitation will increase or decrease. Further, existing precipitation patterns could change, as increased planetary heat alters flow of the jet stream. In other words, changes in Vail and Telluride might not be uniform.

There’s more certainty about increased heat. Rising temperatures will produce shorter winters, more evaporation and transpiration, and a substantial reduction of total flows in the Colorado River. Scientists in the last two years have settled on a 15 percent reduction as a central figure.

“We are expecting a 39 percent increase in population and, if you want an average, a 15 percent reduction in supplies,” said Taylor Hawes, of The Nature Conservancy, describing the seven-state Colorado River Basin.

“By most standards, that’s a crisis.”

Managing uncertainty

Further confusing water planning is the prospect of drought. Colorado had several significant droughts in the 20th century, but all are overshadowed the mega-droughts of the distant past. Study of tree rings across the Southwest conducted by Connie Woodhouse of Arizona State University and other dendrochronologists shows clear evidence of extended drought periods, from roughly 1,000 years ago, that lasted up to three decades.

The parched summer of 2002, a time of roaring wildfires near Denver, Durango and Glenwood Springs, caught water managers by surprise. Levels in Lake Powell dropped precipitously in 2003, and by late 2004 had left bathtub rings two-thirds below the high-water mark. Many wondered if the reservoir might actually drop to a dead pool, unable to generate any electricity.

Along Colorado’s Front Range, the situation looked equally bleak. Had it not been for a miraculously wet and heavy snowstorm in March 2003, cities and farmers might have faced another withering summer, hot and dry.

Water managers broadly embrace the theory of human-caused global warming. Their meetings for the last several years have focused on the sharp warnings coming from climate scientists.

“The science is all basically painting in the same direction,” says Eric Kuhn, general manager of the Colorado River Water Conservation District.

But if the all signs point toward hotter and drier, great uncertainty remains. Faced with that uncertain hydrological future, Marc Waage, manager of water resources planning for Denver Water, says he has been “scratching my head for the last two years” about how to create a long-range water plan.

Before, water planning was a lot easier. There was always population growth, of course, but planners assumed a worst-case scenario that resembled a previous drought. Colorado’s documented worst drought came in the mid-1950s – about the time that Wayne Aspinall was proposing to dam the Gunnison, San Juan, and Green rivers.

Now, water planners realize much more serious droughts are possible and that even the average amounts of water will be less. Runoff will occur weeks and perhaps months earlier, leading to much longer, hotter and drier summers. Combined with population growth, all this suggests that the existing water infrastructure may be inadequate.

The elephant of Colorado

Colorado’s big question mark remains the urban Front Range corridor, especially Denver’s southern suburbs that overwhelmingly rely upon underground water that has become steadily more difficult to extract.

Prairie Waters Project, a major new diversion project to be completed in 2011, will draw water from the South Platte near Brighton several dozen miles south for use in Aurora, located on the eastern flanks of Denver. Short as the pipeline is, this project is expected to cost nearly $700 million.

Far more ambitious projects have been conceived. The most spectacular, proposed by former Montrose farmer Aaron Million, would draw water from the Green River near Rock Springs, Wyo., piping it along Interstate 80 and then down to the Front Range.

More recently, a rival plan employing the same idea has begun to emerge from a consortium of water providers in Denver’s southern suburbs.

Another so-called big straw would draw water from the Yampa River west of Craig. That idea comes from the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, the agency responsible for the Colorado Big Thompson project. The project, which takes water from Grand Lake to Estes Park, was described by Telluride native and historian David Lavender as a “massive violation of geography.”

These big straws have mostly been painted as saviors of agriculture. The thinking is that without further Western Slope diversions, the cities will end up buying farms for water.

But does the water exist?

Whether Colorado actually has sufficient water under the treaty apportioning the Colorado River Compact is open for debate. Kuhn, for example, has long suggested that Colorado has no more than a few hundred-thousand acre-feet of unallocated water. A study to be completed later this year by the Colorado River Water Board will, it is hoped, answer with greater certainty just how close Colorado is to the last drop.

Another set of studies will attempt to push the science of climate change even more rigorously. Tapping the expertise of scientists assembled in the federal laboratories at Boulder, these studies, it is hoped, will provide a better idea of how much water may exist in a hotter and drier future.

The focus naturally is on the Western Slope, where three-quarters of Colorado’s water originates, mostly in the form of snow. The studies will also attempt to predict how much precipitation regimes will change between basins – the San Juan, for example, as distinct from the Eagle.

While this gets sorted out, parallel roundtable discussions have been occurring regarding the state’s major river basins. The intent of these roundtables is to reach some larger consensus about water allocations, perhaps similar to the compacts that govern the Colorado River now.

Friction

If the roundtables have improved dialogue, tempers have occasionally flared. Disagreement was evident in one exchange at last month’s meeting of the Colorado Water Congress. Pitkin County Commissioner Rachael Richards complained that Western Slope water had not been given its due in generating revenue in Colorado’s second largest economic, tourism and recreation.

She got pushback from Rodney Kuharich, director South Metro Water Supply Authority. Aspen, he observed, seemed to have done quite well despite the diversion of waters from the Roaring Fork River and its tributaries that began decades ago. Resorts on the Western Slope, he said, have benefited handsomely from customers drawn from along the Front Range.

As for additional storage, future reservoirs will likely be smaller but perhaps at higher-elevation locations, to minimize evaporation. But whereas the reservoirs of Aspinall’s day were all about commerce, today they will be judged against a greater matrix of considerations.

The Nature Conservancy’s Hawes said her group believes that decisions about storage should be guided by multiple uses, “so that the environmental is part of the planning and not an afterthought.”

Telluride Realty News

2009-06-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

See Forever Village Takes New Tack in Marketing Resort Real Estate

by Greta Stetson Jun 25, 2009

Posted by Erin Eddy

www.ourayland.com

Real estate buyers have until August 14 to name their own price on seven pre-furnished luxury residences in Mountain Village. That is, as long as the price they name is $2 million, or more.

The last seven vacant condominiums at See Forever Village at The Peaks are on the market this summer by way of an online bidding system.

See Forever developer John Abrams hopes his “Developer Celebration Sale” will inject some new enthusiasm into the Telluride real estate market and establish a new mechanism for the purchase of resort property.

Just north of The Peaks, See Forever Village is a set of 24 condominiums and four freestanding residences that overlook the Telluride Valley Floor. The units, fully furnished by The Decorator's Unlimited, are also managed by The Peaks, a contract that gives See Forever Village owners access to housekeeping services, maintenance, membership to the Golden Door Spa, and other amenities.

Construction, which was divided into three phases, started on the project in 2002, and units started selling in 2004. Now, to sell the last seven, Abrams is responding to a changed market.

“It's no longer a seller's market,” he says. “It's a buyers market.”

Abrams believes that there are still buyers who would like to own Telluride real estate, but they haven't gotten the push they need: a good deal. Marketing consultant Lynette Hegeman says that, rather than just lowering the price, See Forever's new bidding system allows interested parties to name a price they think is reasonable.

Under the system devised by Abrams and Hegeman, buyers can start making bids online after they submit a $25,000 deposit, which is fully refundable if they don't submit a bid that is accepted. Four of the units' starting bids are $2 million, two of the others start at $2.7 million, and the final one is $2.8 million. The condos range from 2,580 to 3,441 square feet.

Abrams also has also established a maximum price for each of the residences; if a buyer reaches the reserve price, the bidding will stop and they will get the condo immediately. Otherwise, the residences will go to the highest bidder, but even that doesn't guarantee a unit. Just because bidding for a unit starts at $2 million doesn't necessarily mean that Abrams will accept that price.

“John Abrams isn't here to give away units,” he says. “I didn't work this hard to sell these units at a ridiculously low price.”

Abrams adds that he isn't desperate to sell the rest of See Forever; since the units are fully built and his construction loans are paid off, he is not losing money while the condos are vacant. Rather, Abrams wants to sell because that's what developers do.

“My incentive is to turn over units and invest the money in other projects. I'm not in the business of sitting on real estate,” he says. “This is not a distress sale. This is a marketing model.”

Hegeman adds that anyone considering buying luxury real estate could probably afford one of the condos without the sale.

“A lot of [potential buyers] don't have to worry about financing,” Hegeman says.

The difference, now, is that these “smart, savvy” buyers are getting a good deal by being able to choose their price, Hegeman says, and if wealthy potential buyers see a good deal, they'll take it.

And in a low-price market, Abrams knows that buyers won't bite without “all the bells and whistles,” including spacious rooms, furnishings and views.

Abrams entered the real estate market in Mountain Village 15 years ago, when he bought and later sold a penthouse at The Peaks. He went on to build ten homes in Mountain Village and The Lodge at Mountain Village. He started building See Forever Village seven years ago, with the pitch that owners there would be liberated from the chores that go along with owing a single-family home.

“There are a lot of second-home buyers that want the convenience of not having to worry about things like summer yard work and mechanical engineering,” Abrams says. “They simply buy a unit and move in.”

Hegeman suggests that the online bidding model for marketing resort property could help stimulate the slow economy. While many developers have cut back on marketing, Hegeman hopes the Developer's Celebration Sale will make waves beyond See Forever Village.

“Other developments might see some response,” she says. “If we sat around and did nothing, nothing would happen.”

Along with advertising in local media, See Forever Village is offering lodging discounts to any buyers who want to visit Telluride to physically tour one of the units. It's also including local brokers, offering them a four percent commission for any of the seven units they sell.

Early in the sale, two of the seven available units have received bids. Hegeman explains that one reason the sale is summer-long is so potential buyers have time to do their “due diligence,” and research other real-estate opportunities. She adds that the sale, which began Monday, June 15, has received positive feedback from current See Forever residents and past prospective buyers.

Telluride Properties agent Brian O'Neill, who lists condominium units at the Capella Telluride, says that while the online bidding system is not necessarily a new idea, it is a creative one that might turn the market “a little bit.” At the Capella, units range from $850,000 to $7 million and 850 to 4,500 square feet.

“Two-million is a great value for one of those units,” O'Neill says.

To entice buyers, Capella is offering a 20 percent discount on the price of the condominium, a year's worth of free homeowners association dues and other benefits. O'Neill says that numerous guests have expressed interest in buying Capella condos, but that interest doesn't necessarily lead to a sale, especially when buyers think that prices could drop even further.

“I'm worried about people actually buying,” he says. “It takes quite a while for people to believe that we're actually at the bottom.”

Abrams agrees that now is a good time to buy Telluride real estate. Because of the slow economy, new properties are not being developed, so once all the available properties are sold, prices will increase dramatically in the three to five years it takes for developers to bring new inventory on the market. He adds that, in his 15 years of real estate experience, he has seen the market cycle from high to low at least three times.

“Once you see the low-lying fruit taken off the market you'll see prices go up.” Abrams says. “I've seen that the market goes down, corrects, and then goes up even higher.”

For more information on the See Forever Village Developer's Celebration Sale, go to www.seeforevervillage.com.

Resort News

2009-06-17T08:33:00.001-07:00

In Ski Country

Written by Allen Best - Jun 11, 2009

Ouray County Watch

Posted by Erin Eddy - www.ourayland.com

Steamboat debates merits of ban on real estate signs

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – Real estate agent Michelle Avery says all real-estate signs should be prohibited by the city’s sign code. “Other resort towns have adopted this ordinance, and I feel strongly that Steamboat should do the same,” she writes in The Steamboat Pilot & Today. “Simply stated, the signs are an eyesore.”

A slew of website bloggers beg to different. One blogger, Ralph Cantafio, contends that outright elimination for aesthetic reasons is simply inappropriate. “Government should be very careful to use only reasonable restrictions,” he writes. Part of his reasoning is that eliminating signs eliminates communication, free communication being a hallmark of a democratic society.

Aspen and T’ride tumble, but not so Jackson Hole

ASPEN, Colo. – Nothing in the numbers being reported in the Aspen area suggest that the economy there has started a comeback. Very much the opposite.

Sales tax collections through the first four months of the year in Aspen were down 20 percent. At nearby Snowmass Village, the drop was more precipitous yet, 30 percent, while real estate transfer tax collections were down 80 percent.

Citing Land Title Guarantee reporting, The Aspen Times says that dollar volume for real estate sales across Pitkin County was off 30 percent compared to 2008 – which ended up being the lowest-volume year since 2004. Down-valley in Garfield County, where the resort economy intersects with the now faltering boom in natural gas drilling, the real estate sales volume was down 80 percent.

In Telluride, the story is the same: sales tax revenues this year have been down 12 to 15 percent, and the real-estate transfer tax at year’s end may total only $750,000, compared to $5 million just two years ago.

Inexplicably, the story in Jackson, Wyo., seems to be different, at least in regard to retail sales, which have been down only 3 percent. Moreover, the Jackson Hole News & Guide reports hope among locals that the economy in Teton County will actually start growing again. Visitation to Yellowstone, after being down for several years, has actually been up 11 percent this year, and at Grand Teton National Park it was even.

What mountain rivers will help Denver grow?

GUNNISON, Colo. – Mountain towns in the Rockies have a symbiotic relationship with Denver and other cities along Colorado’s urbanized, Front Range corridor. It is typically also one of ambivalence

That Front Range corridor already consists of four million people, the single largest source of skiing customers in North America, perhaps anywhere on the planet. That base allows Colorado ski areas with relative proximity to survive even when the more distant - but more lucrative – destination skiers stay at home.

That was evident in last week’s report from Vail Resorts, which has four major ski areas within a two-hour drive of that Front Range population, plus another at Lake Tahoe. While destination skiers dropped to 57 percent of the total visitation this past winter, compared to 63 percent the year before, Vail Resorts had a total decline of skier visits of only 5.3 percent.

But the need of Front Range cities for water causes continuing tension, with reverberations as far away as Jackson, Wyo.

Native supplies were proving inadequate even 125 years ago, when farmers discovered they had insufficient water during late summer to finish their crops. To accommodate their needs, creeks from the western side off the Continental Divide, in the area of Rocky Mountain National Park, were diverted eastward.

Since then, the headwaters areas from Granby southward to Winter Park, Breckenridge, Vail and Aspen, have become configured with an intricate labyrinth of ditches, reservoirs, canals and tunnels, all with the intent of achieving what historian (and Telluride native) David Lavender described as a “massive violation of geography.”

With the easy diversions completed decades ago, Front Range interests began to look for the small increments close in, what has been described as the “last drop,” or with big straws in mind to draw from more distant sources.

The drought of 2002 provoked an even greater intensity of focus. So do population projections that envision the state’s population doubling by the year 2050, with four-fifths of that population growth occurring along the Front Range.

One idea still being studied calls for pumping of water from Green Mountain Reservoir, located on the Blue River, about 20 miles to Dillon Reservoir, for diversion to Denver. A compensatory dam on the Eagle River west of Vail might be the quid pro quo to the Western Slope.

Other ideas look at more distant sources. Aaron Million proposes to withdraw water from the Green River, which starts in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, an hour or two south of the town of Jackson. The river briefly enters Colorado before continuing down to a confluence with the Colorado River near Moab. As such, Million says, Colorado is entitled to the water from the Green as per river compacts reached in 1922 and 1948. But Wyoming isn’t so sure. Even people in Jackson, Wyo., who would be unaffected, have been testy about the idea.

Another idea calls for a diversion from the Yampa River, about 65 miles west of Steamboat Springs. The Yampa is tributary to the Green.

Still another thought sees a potential water source in Blue Mesa Reservoir, west of Gunnison. The water, some 200,000 acre-feet annually, might not actually be withdrawn from the reservoir; but the water stored within the reservoir might be appropriated for diversion to the Front Range.

Recently, reports the Crested Butte News, state representatives visited water district officials in the Gunnison area to talk about the long-term big picture. Harris Sherman, the executive director of the state’s Department of Natural Resources, said the state needed to be “looking 20, 30, 40 years out.”

Complicating the envisioning is the likelihood of reduced water supplies because of warming temperatures and changed precipitation patterns. While scientists remain uncertain, one study at Colorado State University sees a 2 to 20 percent reduction in flows of the upper Colorado River, Sherman noted.

None of the world’s problems were solved at the meeting. But, from the report in the News, it was an uncommonly good one for quotes.

Consider the remarks of Steve Glazer, a long-time water activist from Crested Butte. “There are a plethora of poison pills here,” he said. One such “pill” is that Colorado really is not entitled to as much water as this plan envisions. A study is underway to help sort that out.

Ken Spann, who ranches between Crested Butte and Gunnison, also added some folksiness to the proceedings. He said not enough details about the plan have been provided about the Blue Mesa idea for him to have an informed opinion.

“Without meat on the horse, I can’t tell whether to feed it hay or grain,” said Spann.

Canmore and Banff try to help tourism evolve

CANMORE, Alberta – With real estate development in the tank, Canmore has begun studying how it can foster its tourism economy. The city government has appropriated $80,000 for the study, which will include hiring consultants.

The tourism industry is not broken, said John Samms, who directs an organization called Tourism Canmore. But it is evolving.

Up the road at Banff, municipal representatives were plotting how to sell the Canadian Rockies as an affordable alternative to Whistler for ski vacations when Whistler hosts the Olympics next February.

A bit of grime not all bad in mountain towns

DURANGO, Colo. – Durango has never been a high-end destination resort. True, the town fills with tourists each summer, most drawn to take the narrow-gauge train to Silverton. And in winter there’s a ski area up the road.

But Durango exudes a more earthy, blue-collar feel than even those ski towns that once were mining towns. Durango Telegraph co-editor Will Sands, formerly of Crested Butte and Telluride, says Durango has some hard edges, what he calls “a bit of grease in the town’s silver spoon.”

Yet with plenty of biking trails, whitewater through the middle of town, and sharply defined mountains in the distance, it’s at no loss for outdoor amenities.

“Yep, I’ve seen the royal Hollywood treatment inflicted on two birds of paradise and can tell you first-hand that there are worse creatures lurking in the night than Desert Rock,” says Sand, alluding to a proposed power plant about 50 miles away.

“We’re a pint of excellent microbrew with a thumb-print on the glass,” he concludes.

Summit County prepares to help Senegalese villages

SILVERTHORNE, Colo. – Labor-strapped employers in Summit County a decade ago began recruiting employees from Africa. Among the countries sending residents to work the fast-food joints, clean the hotel rooms and so forth was Senegal, a country considered stable but with a high unemployment rate.

From this intersection of needs now comes an intercultural exchange. The Summit Daily News reports a recent spaghetti dinner at the local Elks Lodge at which Senegalese culture was to be exhibited and funds collected. Plans were to purchase medical supplies, buy mosquito nets, and donate computers to Senegal.

Sun Valley continues debate about airport

KETCHUM, Idaho – The Sun Valley Co., operator of the ski area, continues to argue against a new airport at a location more distant from Ketchum and Sun Valley. Most community groups seem to support a new airport, which would accommodate larger airplanes. But that tentative site will be about twice as far from Sun Valley as the current location at Hailey, about 20 miles from the resort center. Wally Huffman, the company’s director of resort development, fears travelers will be unwilling to pay a premium to fly to the Sun Valley area, rather than to Twin Falls or Boise – Idaho towns that are more distant, but within a couple of hours drive.

Runway extension will increase airport traffic

GYPSUM, Colo. – Eagle County Regional Airport has been closed for the summer while the runway gets extended 1,000 feet. The airport accommodates traffic primarily to the Vail and Beaver Creek area, but also has become a significant portal for Aspen-Snowmass visitors.

When completed, the 9,000-foot-long runway will be better able to accommodate jets flying from distant cities, including New York City. Because of the relatively high elevation, about 6,500 feet, and mountain topography, larger planes taking off from the airport during warmer, summer months cannot carry full passenger loads. This decreases the revenue. A longer runway will also accommodate longer flights during winter, theoretically even from Europe.

As it has for much of the work at the airport during the last quarter-century, the Federal Aviation Administration will pick up 95 percent of the $22 million cost. Compared with the airport at Aspen, where the largest jet holds no more than 74 passengers, many jets at Eagle County Regional have room for up to 194 passengers.

High-tech goodies in hospital at Park City

PARK CITY, Utah – While politicians in Washington D.C. debate how to contain spiraling health-care costs, an $88 million hospital prepares to open near Park City. The Park Record says that a crane was required recently to install a $1.6 million magnetic-resonance imaging machine. “It is rare for a hospital this size to have an MRI like this,” said Jeff Kirk, the medical center’s imaging coordinator. “We will have some really great equipment.” The hospital, located approximately 30 miles from Salt Lake City, also has massive heat lamps, still wrapped in plastic, waiting for their first hypothermia patient. The hospital also has a state-of-the-art decontamination room.

Solar panel installations likely to slow down, too

CARBONDALE, Colo. – While other construction hands have been looking for work, installers of solar panels were working overtime through much of 2009 in the Roaring Fork and Eagle valleys. But now that work will likely slow down, too.

The problem, explains The Aspen Times, is that several organizations that were providing rebates to consumers installing photovoltaic panels have already exhausted their budgets.

For example, when Holy Cross Energy debuted its incentive program in 2004, nobody took advantage of the credits. But last year, 55 projects got rebates. This year, 92 projects had been allocated credits by the end of May.

Causing the surge this year was an additional stimulus, a change in the federal tax code, which added another inducement: a tax credit equal to 30 percent of a solar PV installation cost, minus any rebates.

Mammoth talks about seeming to be on move

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. – The Sheet, with a touch of sarcasm, reports on a recent economic development meeting in Mammoth Lakes, at which one speaker suggested a slogan for the community: “Mammoth on the Move.”

For a logo, however, she stops short of suggesting a U-Haul truck, says the newspaper.

The town seems to have its fair share of vacant lots and boarded-up buildings. One of the proposals is to erect signs on vacant lots saying, “Future Site of Mixed Use Development.”

Good enough, said one council member, as long as the signs give no completion dates.

Banff wardens allowed to carry guns in park

BANFF, Alberta – Seven wardens in Banff National Park can now pack Heckler and Koch 9mm handguns while patrolling trails, campgrounds and roads. While it is not their main job, the wardens have the power to deal with dangerous, drunken, or speeding drivers on the park’s roads and highways. Parks Canada has authorized 100 wardens across the country to carry guns. A 2001 ruling found that wardens were at risk of grievous bodily harm, possibly death, unless they carried self-defense equipment.

Teachers’ starting pay going up to $54,500

JACKSON, Wyo. – Teachers in Jackson and Teton County may get raises next year, with the starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree moving up to $54,500, while one with a master’s degree getting not quite $60,000.

In Colorado’s Summit County, base pay for teachers will be at $37,000 during the next academic year. In Aspen, the beginning pay is $40,200. In the Carbondale-Glenwood Springs area, it will be $35,000.

Telluride Construction

2009-05-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

New Builders for Entrada Project

Written by Karen James

Posted by Erin Eddy

www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com

May 20, 2009

TELLURIDE – They’ve restored buildings on fashion designer Ralph Lauren’s nearby ranch, built an Earthship from over 3,000 used tires, 100,000 aluminum cans and packed earth for actor Dennis Weaver and his wife Gerry, and now Ridgway-based Allison Construction is slated to pick up the chronically delayed Entrada affordable housing project and deliver it home.

At press time a final contract hadn’t been drawn, but the Town of Telluride and Allison Construction had an interim services agreement through which the parties agreed to move forward with the project while the final documents are being drafted, according to Town Manager Frank Bell.

But exactly when the four-building complex located west of the RV parking lot between Tomboy Street and Cornet Creek will finally be finished has not been nailed down. (Most recently it was anticipated to be complete in April.)

“They’re still working on the construction schedule,” said Bell. “I’d rather them do it right than do it quickly.”

Allison Construction replaces Carbondale-based Fenton Construction on the 18-unit project, which, for reasons that town officials said they did not fully understand themselves, did not seem to be on track for completion anytime soon, despite being more than 80 percent complete and over a year behind schedule.

“We were way behind schedule and not really sure why,” said Bell. “It’s not a really difficult project.”

So the town, which characterized its split with Fenton as a mutual decision to The Watch, decided it was time to find another contractor to finish the job.

“Changing contractors in mid-stream is not the best thing to do,” said Bell. But, “We felt like we needed to bring someone on who was more enthusiastic – we probably should have done it sooner.”

“We just could not have anymore delays,” said Mayor Stu Fraser.

At least one major obstacle that held up the project – getting the pre-fabricated buildings manufactured in the first place – remained outside of Fenton’s control, he said.

Namely, the federal government kept placing orders with the various modular building manufacturers that took precedence over Telluride’s. As a result, that part of the process took longer and proved more difficult than expected.

“We kept being pushed to the side,” Fraser said.

The town has allotted itself two units designated for sale to town employees among the 17 deed-restricted one-, two- and three-bedroom condo units generated by the project.

The R-1 School District, which is paying the construction subsidy on two units, has also secured two units for district employees.

A final unit containing upgraded finishes will be sold on the free market by sealed bid to the highest bidder in order to help offset the town’s subsidy costs.

Fraser said that when the time came the town called Allison Construction after being impressed by the company during its interview to build the childcare center planned as part of the town’s next affordable housing project, Gold Run.

“They’re just enthusiastic, good builders,” said Fraser. “They are very excited.”

Fenton Construction’s Senior Project Manager, Tim Fenton, declined to comment when reached by telephone.

Telluride Lodging Director

2009-04-17T14:30:00.001-07:00

Written by the Ouray County Watch

Posted by:

Erin Eddy

www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com

TELLURIDE – Hollie Hannahs has been named director of lodging for Telluride Ski Resort and will oversee the resort’s property management arm, Telluride Resort Lodging, including the luxury Platinum Properties sector.

“Hollie’s longtime industry experience and knowledge of the market will be an invaluable addition as TRL continues to grow and establish itself as one of the premier property management companies in the region,” said Matt Skinner, executive director of sales and marketing for the resort.

Hannahs has been a vital player in the resort lodging industry with ResortQuest for almost ten years. Beginning her career in Breckenridge at the Great Divide Lodge in 1996 as front desk manager, Hannahs eventually moved to Crested Butte, then to ResortQuest here in Telluride where she worked as tour and travel sales manager from 2000-2005. She moved back to Breckenridge to take the reservations sales manager position, and then returned to Telluride as general manager for ResortQuest.

“I am excited to join the great team at the Telluride Ski Resort,” said Hannahs. “I look forward to effectively managing Telluride Resort Lodging, creating a smooth transition for our current owners as well as adding additional properties to our portfolio.”

Hannahs currently lives in Telluride with her husband Tom. She participates in the Telluride Association of Realtors highway clean up projects, and enjoys skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. Her tenure at the ski resort begins Thursday, April 16, and she can be reached at hhannahs@tellurideskiresort.com or 970/728-7457.

La Capella in Telluride

2009-02-13T14:42:00.000-08:00

Posted by Erin Eddy

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Written by: Seth Cagin

Nine years and a reported $200 million later, there is a major new hotel in the Telluride region.

The Capella Telluride was scheduled to open its doors today to fanfare, high hopes, and, it is safe to say, some measure of relief as well. The opening of the Capella could be deemed to be the region’s very own economic stimulus. But as is true of President Obama’s national stimulus plan, there is no way to know in advance how well it will work.

The road from conception to completion of the largest construction project ever undertaken in the Telluride region was not only long and expensive, but fraught with peril, including an arduous approvals process that saw numerous compromises with respect to the structure’s mass, scale and design and more than a few occasions when it looked like it would never break ground.

Today’s grand opening could be taken as evidence that long-range community planning can sometimes yield a result. But it remains to be seen whether the economic impact will be all that has been hoped. That is true particularly since the Capella opens its doors in the midst of a deep and possibly deepening local, national and global economic slump.

The most recent data provided by the Telluride Visitors Bureau are not encouraging. Hotel occupancy in the Telluride region was down 17.5 percent in January compared to last January, with revenue per available room down by an even more impressive 30 percent, due to falling room rates. Advance bookings for the next six months are down by a whopping 32 percent compared to last year at this time, with only one bit of hopeful datum: in January, 18.6 percent more visitors booked their accommodations in the same month they planned to arrive compared to last January.

That last statistic suggests an opportunity for recovery ahead, and one that a sparkling, new, full-service hotel like the Capella might help to realize. Bookings at the Capella for the rest of this ski season are encouraging, the hotel’s general manager John Volponi said this week, and the summer looks strong, particularly around major festivals. As an example, this year’s bigger Gay Ski Week, which starts Feb. 21, has booked rooms and has scheduled a number of events at the Capella.

Among the opportunities the Capella should afford the region is the possibility of booking more groups utilizing the adjacent Telluride Conference Center. With the addition of the Capella, Mountain Village now offers a far larger assortment of rooms suitable for hosting groups, and, of possibly even greater importance, there are now break-out meeting rooms at the Capella for groups that use the conference center as their primary venue.

“The group market is extremely challenging right now for not only destination markets but all conference markets,” Scott McQuade, CEO of the Telluride Visitors Bureau said this week, explaining that corporate travel has been severely cut back due to the economy. “But there is hope on the horizon,” McQuade added. “We are already seeing both large and small groups book for 2010 and the Capella has certainly been of primary interest for many of these group leaders. The Capella has also helped the group effort in giving customers more options, and the destination the ability to accommodate larger groups.”

Once a Muddy Parking Lot

The Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association, then called Mountain Village Metro Services, quietly acquired the bulk of the property now occupied by the Capella in the fall of 2000, precisely with the objective of ensuring it would be developed as a hotel, and that it would incorporate other needed community amenities, and would not be developed as condominiums. Then, as today, there was a concern, expressed at that time by Telluride Ski and Golf Co. CEO Ron Allred and expressed today by current Telski CEO Dave Riley, that creating bedbase is essential to the region’s economic sustainability. But the last remaining sites in Mountain Village and Telluride that were suitable for hotel development were being developed instead as condominiums, which generally have a far lower occupancy rate than hotel rooms do.

Metro Services subsequently entered into an agreement with Robert Levine, who developed the adjacent Inn at Lost Creek, to take on the project. There were then hundreds of hours of public meetings to hammer out details of the project, specifically how big it would be and what it would include.

Twice in 2004, as the project neared final approval, Mountain Village voters rejected arguments that the project was too big, first defeating a measure (with 73 percent opposed) that would have restricted the town council’s ability to award height variances and the second defeating a measure (80 percent opposed) that would have overturned the town council’s final approval of the project. The project also survived a legal challenge from the developer of the neighboring Franz Klammer Lodge.

After all of that, what was long a muddy parking lot at the center of the Mountain Village Center, and was once the location for trailers where lift tickets were sold and skis and boots were rented, is today a complex of two large structures containing 100 hotel rooms, 48 condominiums, two restaurants, a ballroom, a spa, new retail space, an underground parking garage, and an ice rink in a new public plaza.

The Capella Telluride is the first Capella hotel to open in the United States, the American flagship of a new international luxury brand founded by Horst Schulze, the legendary founder of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel chain. Capella hotels will be less formal than Ritz-Carltons, somewhat smaller in size, and will deliver an even more highly personalized level of service, Schulze has decreed.

For example, each Capella guest will have the use of a “personal assistant,” who will first contact them even before they arrive to determine the guests’ interests and to begin making arrangements for their stay. Rather than a grand public lobby, the hotel has a “living room,” whose access is restricted to hotel guests, where the personal assistants maintain their desks. The two restaurants, Onyx, featuring fine dining, and the Suede Bar, with a more casual menu, are open to the public.

New staff was busily training this week, as an army of construction workers scurried about to meet the deadline for today’s opening, with Schulze, who began his career as a waiter in his native Germany, on hand to personally lend a hand. The hotel has a staff of about 100 people, about half of them recruited locally, Volponi said.

“It’s all about service,” Volponi said, and indeed this reporter and a photographer were greeted warmly as we toured the facilities. “‘We, the service professionals of Capella place our guests at the center of everything we do,’” Volponi added, quoting an excerpt from the company’s “service training” that is reviewed with all employees.

“I think that sums up our philosophy. The significant idea that is emphasized over and over again in our training is that we provide ‘warm and caring service.’”

The Capella Telluride is offering an introductory rate of $295 this winter and for much of next summer. In an interview a year ago, admittedly before the scale of the current economic downturn was clear, Schulze expressed confidence that the Capella would be successful within three years, building that success on his philosophy emphasizing guest, employee and owner satisfaction, and commitment to community.

The hope expressed by Schulze then and by Volponi this week is that the Capella will someday be as strongly identified with Telluride as the Little Nell is with Aspen, the Sonnenalp is with Vail, and the Hyatt Regency is with Beaver Creek.

Cornerstone Colorado

2008-12-27T11:56:00.001-08:00

Posted by:

Erin Eddy

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www.ridgwayland.com

Cornerstone Named Best Private Course by Golf Magazine

Greg Norman Course to Host Senior Tournament

MONTROSE – The unparalleled beauty of Cornerstone’s setting atop the Uncompahgre Plateau is enough to set it apart from other mountain developments. But add to that a Greg Norman-designed golf course and be prepared for national recognition.

The January 2009 issue of Golf Magazine, currently on newsstands, has named Cornerstone the #1 Best New Private Golf Course in the country.

The 7,945-yard, par 72 course was touted by the editors at Golf Magazine as “easily the best high-altitude course in the nation, and quite possibly the world.” They called it Norman’s “finest North American project to date.” This prestigious recognition, which bested Donald Trump’s National Bedminster in New Jersey (#2), comes six months after all 18 holes were opened in July.

“This is something we are certainly proud of,” Head Golf Pro and Golf Manager Sean Tannehill said in an interview last week. “This is a golf course that is designed for everybody. My favorite thing about the course is the possibility of playing a multitude of different approaches, which enables a lot of bump and runs and a lot of great shots.”

The editors at Golf Magazine also made note of the way the course uses the natural landscape: “Purists will appreciate the tough forced carries and greens that often demand run-up approach shots, and the fast greens and shaved surrounds even things up for players of all abilities.”

The course was designed according to Norman’s well-known “least disturbance” philosophy, which curtails massive earth movement, reduces large-scale clearing and takes full advantage of the natural features on the landscape. The course covers more than 300 acres and is designed to provide golfers at all skill levels an enjoyable game.

“When Greg Norman first toured the land on snowmobile, he immediately saw the potential for the golf course and we partnered with him knowing that we had selected the best designer in the business,” said Larry Corsen, senior vice president of Hunt Realty Inc., a privately held real estate investment company, and owner and operator of Cornerstone. “We are thrilled to see our dream of Greg’s talent come to fruition and be recognized as the number one private golf course by Golf Magazine. We are truly honored to be at the top of this revered category of golf course in the United States.”

As if the #1 ranking wasn’t enough, Tannehill said that Cornerstone will be hosting the Colorado Senior Amateur Championship the first week in September.

“For us, it is a great way to get senior competitive players to play our course and to this part of Colorado,” said Tannehill. “All of these championships have always been held out on the Front Range [of Colorado] and it is a great opporunity for us.”

Members of Cornerstone have access to a 20-plus acre practice facility and some of the finest golf professionals and staff in the nation. Mark Wood has consistently been ranked one of the top 50 instructors in the country for the past 10 years, and Kathy Hart-Wood, former LPGA touring pro and also a celebrated top 50 instructor as named by Golf for Women, is director of women’s golf. Cornerstone also recently celebrated the opening of its clubhouse, which includes a casual bar and grill, outdoor dining and the Village Mercantile, featuring a golf pro shop and outfitters’ headquarters.

Written by Gus Jarvis

County to buy Telluride property

2008-12-20T13:36:00.001-08:00

Posted by Erin Eddy

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County to Buy Property
by Karen JamesDec 18, 2008 | 173 views | 0 | 0 | | First In-Town Purchase Since 1999

TELLURIDE – The San Miguel County Board of Commissioners passed two resolutions on Wednesday that will advance its plans to purchase property located at 335 W. Colorado Ave.

When finalized, the transaction will represent the county’s first purchase of property within Town of Telluride boundaries since buying the second floor of the Miramonte Building in 1999, according to County Attorney Steve Zwick.

“It has been a long time since the county has acquired property inside the town,” he said, adding that the county hopes to close on the deal by Dec. 24.

“We had the opportunity and we needed to take advantage of it,” said County Administrator Lynn Black.

Legally described as Lots 1, 3 and 5, Block 1, Town of Telluride, Needle Rock Fiber Arts currently occupies a ground level commercial space in the property’s main building and will remain a tenant there following the sale, Black confirmed. Stewart Title of Colorado previously had ground floor offices there until the company moved.

In addition to the main building, some sheds located behind it are also part of the property.

Black said that over the next few months the county plans to consider which of its personnel should relocate to the new building to alleviate overcrowding in its current offices. It will also be looking at ways to make the building more “livable” as it considers future development there, she said.

One of the two resolutions authorizes the financing mechanism by which the county will purchase the property, while the other authorizes Commissioner Chair Joan May to execute all closing documents related to the $4 million acquisition from its current owner, Fruen Properties LLC.

The county plans to enter into a lease/purchase agreement with Salt Lake City-based Zions First National Bank to finance $3 million of the purchase at an interest rate of 5.26 percent that will reset after five years, according to Zwick.

Lease/purchase provides local governments with a method to finance the acquisition of large capital assets such as buildings or cars through a series of one-year payment installments. Renewed annually, these payments do not extend into subsequent years and, therefore, are not technically considered debt according to state law, Zwick said.

“You are not legally obligated, you can walk away at any given year,” he explained. “It’s used by local governments to finance all sorts of things.”

As a result, lease/purchase agreements do not require voter approval according to the state Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights, or TABOR, Amendment that requires a public vote to authorize all new government debt.

“Colorado law allows local governments to finance acquisition of capital assets with lease/purchase,” said Zwick.

Telluride Realty Update

2008-12-14T05:51:00.001-08:00

Written by Ouray News

Posted by:

Erin Eddy

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December 12, 2008

TELLURIDE — An ordinance that proposes to relax Telluride's Planned Unit Development process — allowing the town's planning and zoning commission more negotiation powers in dealing with PUD applicants — divided the town council on Tuesday.

On one side of the issue were council members who wanted the ordinance — a dense and complicated document — continued until January for more public digestion. On the other were members who said they were ready to pull the trigger on the ordinance, which has been in the works since April.

After a drawn-out hearing that saw one motion narrowly defeated and a spate of public comment for and against passage, the ordinance was approved by a vote of 4-3.

The ordinance was created by P&Z and staff as a way to allow for more flexibility in the design and development of a PUD project — larger type developments, such as condominiums, that eclipse the town's regular review process. The entities have been hammering it out since last April, on direction of council, and it was born as part of an effort to create more vitality in the town's commercial area.

Under the ordinance, rather than developing a project under the basic zoning requirements, applicants and the P&Z commission would negotiate in an exchange of variances for public benefits.

This way, drafters say, the town could get things like common open space, commercial space or parking spaces in exchange for say, increased building height or floor space, making the PUD process more effective.

But some have criticized it for giving P&Z too much oversight and for opening opportunities for developers to provide less affordable housing.

Capella Telluride announces February 2009 Opening

2008-11-23T18:30:00.000-08:00

Posted by Erin Eddy

Telluride Watch

Nov 20, 2008

TELLURIDE – Skiers and snowboarders in the know consider the month of March prime time for skiing in Telluride, when the snowpack is often at its peak. And now, a new level of mountain luxury awaits skiers, as Capella Telluride announces its Feb. 15, 2009 opening. The resort enjoys an ideal ski-in/ski-out location on the mountain, with every detail designed for the most discerning traveler.

Resort guests and owners will benefit from the thoughtful architectural design and layout of Capella Telluride, realized by developers RAL Companies and Affiliates. Nestled in the heart of Mountain Village, the 100 guest rooms and 48 condominium suites afford convenient access to the 1,700 skiable acres of Telluride Ski Resort, complemented by Capella Telluride’s Nordic Lounge. Here, guests will enjoy a taste for Capella’s unparalleled service, as ski valet warm boots, offer hot beverages, assist with and ultimately store guests’ equipment.

And Telluride’s 2008/09 ski season will introduce the new Revelation quad chair lift, giving Capella Telluride skiers access to the challenging Revelation Bowl. For beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders looking for a more recreational ride, the Telluride Ski Resort offers a variety of trails suited for every level of downhill enthusiast.

Off the mountain, the hotel’s world-class indoor amenities including the exclusive Capella living room, alpine-inspired spa, indoor pool with floor-to-ceiling retractable windows, fitness center, entertainment venues, climate controlled parking, kids’ club and retail facilities. The resort’s three dining venues will include Onyx Restaurant, featuring haute alpine cuisine, the casual Gray Jay Café for quick gourmet treats and the elegant Suede Bar offering après ski tapas and evening cocktails. Capella Telluride will also introduce a new community ice skating rink, which will act as a meeting place for guests and locals alike.

“We envision Capella Telluride as the vibrant center of this world-class resort town, yet have designed the experience to offer guests the privacy and exclusivity that only Capella can provide,” commented Horst Schulze, CEO of Capella Hotels and Resorts. “Capella Telluride will encompass laid-back elegance reflecting the mountain lifestyle for which the area is renowned.”

Ultimately, the intimate setting of Capella Telluride will honor the unspoiled mountain grandeur that has made Telluride a storied year-round destination. During the height of ski season, outdoor enthusiasts might also try heli-skiing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and ice climbing, in addition to traditional mountain skiing and snowboarding.

To introduce Capella Telluride, the resort is offering special winter rates starting at $295 and summer rates starting at $195. Reservations can be made over the phone at 877/247-6688. For more information, visit www.capellatelluride.com.

Telluride and Fat Tire?

2008-11-08T10:52:00.001-08:00

New Belgium Brewing Announces Partnership With Telluride Ski Resort

Written by the Ouray County Watch

Posted by:

Erin Eddy

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www.ridgwayland.com

FT. COLLINS, Colo. – The makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale, New Belgium Brewing Company, announced a sole partnership with the Telluride Ski Resort this week. Eight of the resort’s mountain bars and restaurants will feature New Belgium’s full portfolio of seven year round beers in Telluride. New Belgium will also serve more esoteric beers including the hand-bottled La Folie, a wood-aged beer, and selections from New Belgium’s Lips of Faith program, which enables New Belgium employees to creatively brew their own specialty beers for distribution.

“We are looking forward to partnering with Telluride Ski Resort, as both our companies focus on providing a great product while practicing sustainable business solutions,” said Colorado Beer Ranger Edward Hines. “We’re also very excited to offer some of our harder-to-find beers like Lips of Faith selections, Trippel, Abbey and La Folie to an audience from around the world.”

New Belgium Brewing is nationally recognized for its progressive environmental activities. From its inception, New Belgium has made every effort to minimize resource consumption, maximize energy efficiency and recycle at every opportunity. In fact, New Belgium became the country’s first brewery to subscribe to wind energy after employee owners voted to help finance the transition with a portion of their bonuses in 1999.

“The Telluride Ski Resort is committed to offering exceptional products at our resort, and New Belgium Brewing Company is the perfect fit,” said Matt Skinner, vice president of sales and marketing for the resort. “We are excited to present New Belgium as our partner to our national and international winter enthusiasts and beer connoisseurs.”

Telluride Real Estate

2008-10-25T11:17:00.001-07:00

Posted by: Erin Eddy

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Foreclosure Filings Up Throughout County
by Karen JamesOct 23, 2008

All Market Segments Affected

TELLURIDE – With two months remaining in the fiscal year, foreclosure filings in San Miguel County are up 47 percent compared to the 2007 year-end total, county records show.

The county has opened 28 foreclosure files since January, of which seven – or 25 percent – have occurred during the last three weeks.

The county opened a total of 19 files during fiscal year 2007.

“We’re already past last year and we’re just in the first month of the fourth quarter,” said County Treasurer, Public Trustee and Public Registrar Janice Stout. “I’m just amazed with the number we’ve had.”

Among the 19 filings in 2007, a total of six – about 32 percent – eventually sold in foreclosure auctions.

This year, two of the 28 properties have been sold at auction. Another three are scheduled to go to auction before the end of the year if they are not first withdrawn, cured or continued.

Despite the overall increase in filings, with so few sales scheduled in the next two months, 2008 foreclosure sales cannot outnumber those in 2007.

But considering that 12 foreclosure sales could take place by the end of next February if they are not somehow remedied, 2009 could run the risk of producing a bumper crop of foreclosures.

“Maybe 09 will be record sales,” Stout said.

Among this year’s 28 filings, 10 – or about 36 percent – have been withdrawn or cured. One more, a filing for the Rosewood Telluride Resort and Hotel, is on hold until further notice.

In June, Lot 129, LLC and West Galena Holdings, owned by New York City-based developer Aaron Honigman, filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection one day before the property was to appear on the auction block. As a result, a week-to-week stay of the foreclosure has been in place since then, which Stout will continue to impose until otherwise directed by the court.

Outstanding principal on the Rosewood deal, a pre-construction bridge loan, is $50 million.

“There does seem to be a rush of filings,” said Stout, adding that she believed the accelerated filing pace will continue if the economy remains in its current state.

That said, a relative few of those are likely to result in foreclosure sales if history serves as an accurate predictor.

The filings span across virtually all segments of the real estate market. They range from a fractional interest in Mountain Village with $40,000 in outstanding debt, to a Mountain Village Home against which two foreclosure filings worth a total of about $10.1 million have been made.

According to Stout, the first foreclosure was filed on a deed of trust where the home was put up as collateral to guarantee a loan to a business. The second foreclosure was filed on a mortgage on the home itself.

In between those extremes are filings for Hastings Mesa and Norwood homes, an Ice House condominium and two vacant lots in Mountain Village among others.

“It’s pretty much across the board,” Stout said.

She speculated that one reason for the steady rate of foreclosure filings over the past few weeks could be the passage of Colorado House Bill 08-1402. The bill, which took effect on Aug. 1, requires that mortgage lenders provide the direct telephone number of their loss mitigation departments, and that of the Colorado Foreclosure Hotline, to buyers in danger of being foreclosed upon at least 30 days before the relevant paperwork is filed.

Stout said she received no filings during the month of August as the law took effect, which probably created a backlog that is working itself out now.

“People that were living with a high amount of debt are going to be the first ones to go,” said Matthew Hintermeister, a real estate agent, who noted the presence of several multi-million dollar properties on the foreclosure list.

Hintermeister, past president of the Telluride Association of Realtors, speculated that when the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted nearly 3,000 points over three weeks toward the end of September, cash flow may have been disrupted for investors who, through margin accounts established with brokerage firms, had taken out loans using securities as collateral.

Although investors can borrow against the value of his or her securities through margin accounts, a minimum of equity must be maintained in them. If the value of the pledged securities were to fall far enough – as would likely have been the case during those tumultuous weeks – a “margin call” would require the borrower to sell off securities or deposit cash (cash that may have otherwise been paying the mortgage on a second home) or perhaps do both – in order to replenish the account equity.

The brokerage retains the right to sell the pledged securities and may not be required to consult the margin account holder before doing so, according to Investopedia.com, an investor education website owned by Forbes Media. In fact, the website goes on to state that the firm may also have the right to sell the securities before the investor has been given a chance to meet the margin call.

“It can happen incredibly fast,” Hintermeister said.

Hintermeister added that some Aspen area real estate brokers with whom he recently spoke told him that they are seeing people abandon large deposits – some worth hundreds of thousands of dollars – on projects that are still being completed.

“They’ve already told brokers that they are prepared to walk away because they don’t have the money to close,” he said.

“That’s big money to be walking away from.”

New ski lift in Telluride

2008-10-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

Posted by: Erin Eddy

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Revelation Lift Nears Completion

Written by Martinique DavisOct 23, 2008

Ski Area’s Vertical Drop Now 4,425 Feet

TELLURIDE – The dusting of white shrouding the uppermost reaches of the Telluride Ski Area serves to remind us that winter – and all its snowy spoils – is on the way. The only thing more enticing to a skiers and boards than a pristine, white vista is perhaps the sight of a new ski lift stretching up the mountain.

Construction of the Revelation Lift is steadily moving forward as evidenced by the now-visible top terminal that sits high on the Gold Hill ridge. The lift will access terrain that falls dramatically from the Gold Hill ridge onto northeastern aspects. These snow-magnet slopes had previously been the focus of powder day reveries only, but that will change with the opening this winter of Revelation Bowl and its corresponding Leitner-Poma quad lift.

Situated above tree line, Revelation Bowl offers advanced and expert terrain in a setting that, with its far-reaching mountain views and wide-open, treeless expanse, evokes a European ski experience. Skiers and riders will be able to choose ridgelines in either direction offering steeper pitches and rock features, or rolling groomed terrain down the middle.

Last winter’s opening of Black Iron Bowl, Palmyra Peak and Gold Hill Chutes 6-10 significantly increased the resort’s selection of hike-to terrain, and with the opening of Revelation Bowl this winter, the Telluride Ski Resort will have undergone a nearly 400-acre growth spurt in just two years.

The resort’s vertical drop is now one of the largest in North America at 4,425 feet, with 3,845 vertical feet lift-served.

To handle all of that new terrain, the ski resort recently purchased three new Prinoth Snowcats. The additional cats will provide greater nightly coverage and consistent grooming of signature runs like Plunge and See Forever.

Additionally, two WWII vintage 105mm howitzers, with their own stationary bunkers, have been installed for avalanche control, enabling Gold Hill, Palmyra Peak and Black Iron Bowl to open sooner on powder days.

“The patrol is very excited about what this will do in terms of the speed and effectiveness of their work – moreover, the safety it’s going to provide their staff,” Telluride Ski and Golf CEO Dave Riley said of the new Howitzers in an interview earlier this fall. “It’s going to speed things up while making things a lot safer.”

Telski is also opening two new restaurants on the mountain this winter. Keeping with the theme of a European ski experience, Alpino Vino is a European-styled hütte near the top of Gold Hill that will offer fine wines, cheeses and appetizer plates. Alpino Vino will be located in what many locals refer to as the Trommer House (a private home built by Eric Trommer), which has sat idle since the Ski Area purchased the property nearly a decade ago. Crews recently began remodeling the stone and wood chalet, and the restaurant’s doors are slated to open to the public for the first time this winter.

For après ski, the new Hop Garden in Mountain Village will offer the ambiance of a traditional German beer garden, with 10 specialty beers on tap and craft beers from around the world highlighted daily, as well as a menu of hot and cold fare. The Hop Garden is located in the space previously occupied by the Skier’s Union, at the base of Lift 4.

Three candidates stump for one commissioner seat

2008-10-12T13:43:00.001-07:00

Posted by Erin Eddy
by Gus Jarvis
Oct 09, 2008

TELLURIDE – Republican candidate Bill Wenger and Democratic candidate Oak Smith made their arguments on Monday night why one of them should be the next San Miguel County Commissioner to represent its 3rd District instead of incumbent Green Party candidate Art Goodtimes, who is seeking his fourth term as commissioner.

Monday’s debate in Telluride’s Christ Church was rather non-confrontational, aside from a few criticisms by Smith of Goodtimes’s representation, or lack thereof, of the county’s rural/ranching 3rd District.

“It’s a responsibility of representing the specific needs of the 3rd District,” Smith said. “Art here didn’t even carry his home district in two of three of his previous elections. For my real, personal experience on growing up on a farm and running my own business, I am uniquely qualified. It is time for a change. Sixteen years is too long to hold this office.”

Smith, a 27-year county resident, is the current Materials Management Supervisor at Wilkinson Public Library and is the former owner of the Oak Blade and Forge Co. Smith was also a member of the San Miguel County Planning Commission for 11 years, five of which he was chair.

In defense, Goodtimes later said that Smith’s statements had some misconceptions.

“I didn’t lose my district,” Goodtimes said. “I won both times in my district.” Goodtimes said “ecowisdom, social justice and grassroots Democracy” would be the focus of his next term, if reelected. “I am very proud of what has happened in San Miguel County and I hope you would reelect me.”

Goodtimes has lived in the county since 1980 and is the co-founder of Sheep Mountain Alliance. He has served as a reporter, editor and columnist for most of the county newspapers including the Telluride Times, San Miguel Journal and The Telluride Watch among others.

Wenger, who was elected to the District 2 commissioner seat in the early 90s, said there is change in the air for San Miguel County and he would like to be a part of that change.

“I stepped up years ago because the county was experiencing a time of change,” Wenger said. “I stepped up because I wanted to impact change. I am here today because again, we are at a time of change. We are facing a construction industry that is going to dwindle.

“We created a finite inventory that has fueled our economy but we need to look into a future that gives jobs to citizens. I also believe the 3rd District needs to have a voice and I intend to be their voice in this government.”

Wenger, a 23-year resident of the county, is the current maintenance shop manager at Viking Rentals and is owner of Geo Pro, an excavating and blasting company. Wenger was also the manager of the second largest underground uranium mine in the United States.

The candidates more or less agreed on several issues Monday night, including the importance of affordable housing and childcare. They also agreed that a regional transportation district is an option if funding can be found, and that water treatment in Norwood and Telluride are problems that need to be addressed.

One sticking point came when Wenger asked Smith how he would have represented the 3rd District had he been commissioner when the county agreed to contribute money to fund the acquisition of the Valley Floor. (The county commissioners at the time ultimately agreed to give $200,000, but faced opposition from many West End residents.)

“Oak, you said you want to be a voice for the West End,” Wenger said. “What I understand at that meeting in Norwood that there was resistance from that neighborhood. If you had been county commissioner, how would you have voted?”

“I would have voted to give the $100,000 to the Valley Floor,” Smith answered. “The Valley Floor is going to be good for the West End of the county. Just as I would have wanted to give the $100,000 to keep the Valley Floor open, I would have gone to bat for the ranchers for grazing rights.”

Goodtimes, in his closing statement, said he was proud to be a part of that decision.

“The county gave $200,000 to the Valley Floor,” Goodtimes said. Because of the decision at the valuation trial to raise the price to $50 million, “the county upped its ante.”

Goodtimes then asked Wenger what role the mining industry has in San Miguel County. With a uranium mill proposed in Paradox Valley in adjacent Montrose County, the county could face a new uranium boom of its own.

“I see it [mining] as limited,” Wenger answered. “I see uranium not creating greenhouse gases. I managed the second largest uranium mine in the U.S. It has a place. There is a downside that you have to be aware of and deal with but it can be done. We have learned a lot over the years. We are not in the 1920s anymore. It does have a place.”

Two more commissioner debates are planned, although dates and times have yet to be determined.

Be bear aware: activity increases in the fall

2008-10-11T17:39:00.000-07:00

Posted by Erin Eddy
Denver
October 10, 2008

DENVER — Autumn is when black bears become more active, setting the stage for an increase in bear sightings and possibly encounters.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) reminds residents and visitors that bears are searching for food to prepare for the denning season, which begins in early to mid-November. From now until then, bears will look for food wherever they can find it and the result may lead them closer to people or homes.

While Colorado's bears usually run, rather than confront humans, encounters do occur and people should know a few things about how to react, or better yet, how to avoid an encounter altogether by reducing the likelihood of attracting bears in the first place.

Human injuries caused by bears are rare in Colorado. In the few cases when people are injured, it usually involves food left where bears can find it, or is the result of a surprise encounter.

When bears become habituated to food left out by people, it can lead to conflicts, property damage, the possibility of injury and eventual destruction of the bear. The DOW has the following recommendations to reduce the chances of having a close encounter with a black bear on a homeowner's property:

Do not feed wild animals (against the law to feed foxes, coyotes or bears) and play it safe if you have bird feeders in bear country. Feeding wildlife, including birds, can draw bears into an area. Once bears become comfortable in an area where they find food, they will continue to return. Bears have an amazing ability to recall areas where food was easily available from year to year. A "neighborhood bear" can become a real problem for homeowners and neighbors.

Tips for safely feeding birds include: restrict feeding to when bears hibernate, which is generally November through April; avoid bird foods that are particularly attractive for bears, such as sunflower seeds, hummingbird nectar, or suet; bring feeders inside at night or suspend them from high crosswires; and temporarily remove feeders for two weeks if visited by a bear. Encourage your neighbors to do the same.

Don't place garbage outside until pick-up day. A 1994 Arizona study discovered that putting trash cans out the morning of the pickup reduced bear visits from 70% to less than5%. Garbage or food items, including pet food, should be stored inside the garage or secure storage shed. Garage doors should not be left open except for very brief periods during the day.

Keep your distance. If a bear shows up in your backyard, stay calm. From a safe distance, shout at it like you would to chase an unwanted dog. Children should understand not to run, approach or hide from a bear that wanders into the yard, but, instead, to back away and walk slowly to the house.

Eliminate temptation. Bears that visit areas of human habitation are drawn there by food. Neighbors need to work together to reduce an area's appeal to bears.

For more information and tips on preventing conflicts with bears, go to DOW's webpage (http://wildlife.state.co.us) and the link Wildlife Species.