Public gives input on Center for Arts design concept

Size matters and some programs initially set for new building cut or scaled back

by Mark Reaman

Size of the building, parking, and an increase in traffic to Seventh Street were the primary focuses of a BOZAR (Board of Zoning and Architectural Review) work session Tuesday evening concerning conceptual plans for an expanded Crested Butte Center for the Arts.

BOZAR chair Liz Sawyer made it clear at the start of the meeting it was not the purview of BOZAR to consider what activities would take place inside the building, but rather to consider size, impacts and architecture.

The statement was apparently made in reference to recent changes concerning the function of the building. According to Center executive director Jenny Birnie, the proposed expansion had grown to more than 42,000 square feet in an effort to accommodate requests by all potential user groups. Informal talks with the town made it clear a building of that size would not likely get approval, so the Center board of directors made some “hard decisions.”

At a meeting earlier this month it was decided that every user group, from the Crested Butte School of Dance to the visual artists, would lose some of their allotted space. The Trailhead Children’s Museum, one of the first partners proposed for the expansion, was cut out entirely.

“This was a difficult process but one we knew we had to do,” Birnie said. “Based on the user group meetings last week, our building plans are evolving to meet our original budget and programming goals. The CFA is being designed where most of the spaces are interchangeable to meet the needs of numerous user groups using the spaces at different times. The Trailhead is very important to us and the community and we are heartbroken because we are coming to the reality that it may not be possible to afford a new Trailhead without compromising the needs of our existing organization.”

At Tuesday’s meeting, local architect Andrew Hadley gave an overview of the project, explaining that the building “was conceived as a place for all the community arts organizations to come under one roof. We see this building as a melding of arts and park space,” he said. “Nothing is set in stone and that’s why we want to hear from people.”

Lead architect Nestor Bottino of the New York firm Holzman, Moss and Bottino said the initial design concepts came from the physical elements of Crested Butte. The design centers on a main theater building and has a connected “spine” to a smaller building closer to Seventh Street. He said the “preliminary idea” was reminiscent of the town’s main buildings with an accessory dwelling.

The design uses a natural seven-foot slope between Sixth and Seventh Streets to then dig down the front of the building to soften the height. “The bigger spaces are still located closer to the highway, while the smaller-scaled building portion is closer to the neighborhood,” Bottino explained. The main building would be about 35 feet high, while the back building would come in at about 22 feet.

The footprint for the building is 23,000 square feet. Bottino said the entire building would be between 35,000 and 38,000 square feet. The current Center is less than 8,000 square feet. Bottino presented several roof concepts but emphasized the design was in a very “conceptual phase.” Parking would be primarily located along Seventh Street. Tour buses and delivery trucks would enter from Sixth and access the back of the main building.

Most current park amenities would be shifted but would remain in the Town Park.

Members of the public at the meeting generally approved of the concepts but raised concerns about traffic, parking and size.

“I am impressed with your grasp of the town layout and elements of town,” commented resident Jamie Walton. “I like the idea of the change in elevation from Sixth to Seventh. Can you sink it even further down?”

Bottino said water table issues come into play after about eight feet of digging and the cost would rise dramatically.

Neighbor Drew Verdecchia asked how many parking spaces were planned for Seventh Street.

Rob Boyle, also a neighbor of the Town Park, said the schematics showed 33 parking spaces, and if 22 existing spaces were being eliminated, a big overflow could be expected.

Hadley said the drawings weren’t meant to convey an exact figure but he estimated the number to be closer to 50.

“There is already insufficient parking during Alpenglow, so it seems like we need to add a lot more spaces,” Boyle said.

Parks and Recreation director Janna Hansen said the town park consultant, Tina Bishop, projected about 44 spaces along Seventh.

Town building and zoning director Bob Gillie admitted parking was an issue.

“No one wants to pave the park for parking and people want to keep the existing park amenities and enhance the Center,” he said. “Something has to give. We have always suggested a sidewalk from the Center to the school to better utilize the school parking lot. The same goes for the Four-way. The idea would be to have some day-to-day parking close to the building and event parking a bit farther away in existing lots.”

When asked if there was a town requirement for parking for a building of this proposed size, Gillie admitted, “We cut ourselves all kinds of slack for public buildings. We are trying to get this to work. As we get closer and get a better idea of the design, we‘ll get closer to a real number for parking spaces,” he said.

“I think we are getting bogged down in square footage and parking,” said Crested Butte School of Dance executive director Adge Lindsey. “The same people will be using the Center as now. Just because the building is bigger does not mean it will cause more parking problems. The theater size is essentially the same. We’re not talking events being bigger.”

This drew the biggest outburst of the evening from longtime local Tracy Smith. “The events are bigger already. More people are coming here and it is sad to see. This building is too big for that area. It is overkill. It is a bad idea to place a big building in the middle of a precious little town. Why not pool with CBMR or Mt. Crested Butte. They have a big building that is beautiful proposed up there.”

Ben Pritchett said he was very worried that Seventh Street would become a primary traffic corridor. Given that it was a neighborhood, he was concerned that a car could hit a child. “I really believe the traffic plan should separate pedestrians and vehicles,” he suggested. “Focus the cars on the highway.”

He also advised the planners to “pay attention to the sun. One of the playgrounds on the site map will rarely get sun so it will not be used. Focus activities on the south side and the industrial uses [such as parking and deliveries] on the north side of the building,” he said.

Crested Butte native Anne Moore didn’t want to see green space eliminated from the Town Park. “I know we live in the mountains but green space in town is valuable. I don’t want to see it eliminated,” she said.

Bottino admitted that with a bigger building, some green space would be lost. But when the current Center is torn down, the soccer fields/Alpenglow field would be expanded. He reassured Moore that Pitsker Field would remain untouched.

“Another concern in that area is that another big concrete structure is slated next to the building,” said BOZAR’s Sawyer, referring to the skate park being planned for the area. “I’d encourage the public to comment when that comes up in the future.”

Jan Parker reiterated Pritchett’s concerns. “This idea shifts the traffic flow and it appears there would be a significant increase in traffic by the crazy intersection at Red Lady and Highway 135,” she said.

Town planner Michael Yerman said the town was partnering with the Colorado Department of Transportation to realign that intersection in some form. He didn’t expect that to take place for at least five years but he said it would help that area of town significantly.

Chris Myall, who lives on Red Lady Avenue, said the overall transportation plan should perhaps be completed first, since traffic and parking would be huge impacts in the neighborhood. “That side of town is getting inundated with traffic,” he said. “My concerns are traffic flow and parking. And I like the idea of solar.”

Nick Faes said he liked the proposed massing and having two separate buildings. Eric Naughton gave a big thumbs-up to the proposal, noting that the Center was a revenue generator for town and he felt the size was appropriate to accommodate various community groups.

Jen Verdecchia said children’s safety was her biggest concern, especially with tour buses and delivery trucks being so close to the playground areas. She also expressed concern with parking overflow onto Seventh Street.

Former town planner John Hess said he felt there were some positives and some negatives with the proposal. “I really like what Tracy and Ben have said. I love the two separate buildings to break up the mass. It is still a big building. What about putting solar panels on the south side? As for parking, there is still a vacant lot across from the Center on Sixth Street,” he said.

“It’s kind of spendy,” noted Birnie.

“I still go back to the size,” said Hess. “It’s so darn big. Why not break it up into three buildings?”

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