The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
John Stock for Lazy K; Potentially Gatesco for Lot-22
By Cayla Vidmar
Two affordable housing developments in the city of Gunnison are beginning to move into the next phase, with one developer chosen and agreement negotiations being discussed with another.
North Valley developer John Stock of High Mountain Concepts was chosen for the 56-unit, city-owned Lazy K parcel, and Gary Gates of Gatesco, Inc. is the top choice for the 76-unit, county-owned Lot 22 in the Rock Creek development, both of which are located in the city.
According to Gunnison county manager Matthew Birnie, Gatesco, Inc. and the county are negotiating an agreement for the development of Lot 22, which is in the Rock Creek subdivision on the north side of Gunnison, but nothing is finalized.
The proposed development, according to Gates, is for 70 rental units and six single-family for-sale units. Birnie says 68 of those units will be deed restricted. And Gates says 53 of the units will go to people making under 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
Gates says, “One objective in seeking the Rock Creek project is to be able to showcase what can be done and alleviate concerns for Brush Creek. This project will do nothing to address the critical rental housing market in the north end of the valley.”
At this week’s Board of County Commissioner meeting, county manager Matthew Birnie addressed commissioner Roland Mason’s fears about the Corner at Brush Creek and Lot 22 project overlapping for Gatesco. Birnie stated, “There’s a good chance that no matter what, Brush Creek is not getting started this year because they still have to go through our process, and, quite frankly there’s no indication of a project at 156 [units].”
The hope is to break ground this summer on Lot 22, wrote Birnie via email, and meetings with the city of Gunnison have commenced. Gates said Gatesco and the county are “discussing making the six family homes as rentals. I believe the market will have too many ‘affordable units’ for sale at this point between Lazy K and what is planned in the north valley.”
As for the Lazy K parcel, which is off West Tomichi Avenue and 3rd Street, there would be 56 for-sale units, 40 of which would be deed restricted. The neighborhood is spread out among existing ponds, and abuts the Gunnison River. The selected developer, John Stock, incorporated plenty of open space and a community park into the initial design.
Stock’s desire is to coordinate with other developers that submitted proposals for the development, including Dusty Sylvanson. He explains that Sylvanson’s vision was to use the Lazy K development as an opportunity to teach and promote the trades. “We all want to work together to incorporate these aspects into the project,” says Stock.
The design also includes a 1,800-square-foot pre-school, to address a consensus from the local community that quality day care is hard to come by.
