The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
The town of Crested Butte has published a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a development partner to build an anticipated 22 to 26 additional homes for local households in the Paradise Park neighborhood. Homes will be price-capped and deed restricted for local residents, per Town of Crested Butte Housing Guidelines.
“Just last week, the town issued notice to proceed on eight duplexes that are being built this summer by High Mountain Concepts. Four of those homes will be sold to locals and the other four will be for rent to town and school district employees. With this next RFQ, we’re staying on track with our five-year housing plan and selecting a partner who will build more homes in 2019-2020,” says Michael Yerman, community development director.
The town is seeking financially strong developers with a solid track record in residential projects and mountain communities. The developer will be responsible for assembling a design/build team, navigating BOZAR approvals, securing finance and completing construction. The town has made extensive infrastructure improvements, is providing the land, and will provide building permit and tap fee waivers. The RFP can be downloaded on the town’s website.
“The town is deeply committed to our goal of 25 percent of the housing inventory set aside for year-round residents and employees. We’ve heard strong direction from the council to consider greater densities on these town owned parcels, and we are excited to find a development partner who can support our goals of affordability for locals, neighborhood compatibility, and making the most of our scarce resources,” says Dara MacDonald, town manager.
The selection process will occur in two phases. A committee composed of town staff, council members, and representatives from the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority and Gunnison Valley Housing Foundation will select finalists from among the RFQ respondents. The town will host a neighborhood workshop the second week of August with the council, neighbors, and future potential applicants. The discussion will center on the density of the development, relationship of the development to Rainbow Park, types of units, potential floor plans, and other factors developers will need to consider for their responses. The finalists will be awarded a stipend of $5,000 to further refine their proposals based on this feedback.
Presentations at a public meeting are anticipated in September, with final selection in October.
