The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Public and private projects all over the place
by Mark Reaman
Representatives of the Crested Butte public works and community development departments reviewed some upcoming projects with the Town Council at a January 22 work session. There is no shortage of activity on the horizon.
Public works director Shea Earley said his crews will be spending three weeks this spring to help install the new town “Pirate Park” by the expanded Center for the Arts.
The public works department does not have any major paving projects scheduled for this summer but the intent is to catch up with crack sealing on all of the town streets. That work has been deferred for a couple of years. Two small paving projects are on the docket: the public parking lot behind the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum will get some asphalt, as will some right-of-way parking areas on Fifth Street. Earley said the town would also assist in the demolition of the track around the Crested Butte Community School soccer field and the sidewalk on the south side of Red Lady Avenue by the school.
Community development director Michael Yerman said Paradise Park is slated to get some improvements this summer and he again reminded the council that 33 units of new affordable housing are in the works in town.
“Last year, 2018, was the busiest year the building department ever had in terms of building permits, with 108 permits. 2019 is already gearing up to be busier than that record year,” Yerman told the council. “We are looking at about double the amount of permits we saw in the 2003 to 2007 housing boom.”
Yerman said aside from the affordable housing construction, other noticeable construction projects expected this summer include a major renovation at Clark’s Market. “That could be crazy because they want to stay at least partially open during the construction process,” Yerman said. “It appears they want to start in April with the intent to keep a portion of the store open. The hope is to then be done by the end of the year.”
Yerman said the major Kapushion subdivision is expected to begin development this summer on the north side of town. The annexation process of the property north of the Gas Café will be going on as well. He said the first application that is part of the annexation is expected to be completed soon and the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR) will begin its review probably in late March, after which the council will get a shot at it.
The town water treatment plant is scheduled to get an upgrade, and smaller projects like the replacement of the McCormick Ditch water valve and the extension of the cemetery waterline are also on tap.
The bottom line: You will see a lot of building activity going on around town this coming summer.
