The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
KBUT to stay in the building
By Mark Reaman
It looks like the Crested Butte marshal’s office will get a $3.9 million addition in 2026. The town council gave the unofficial thumbs up to the idea of moving ahead with a design to add more marshal’s space, a garage for law enforcement vehicles and a spot for Interstate Parking to handle parking issues. The 2,300-square-foot KBUT space in the building would remain where it is with no change to its size.
“We’ve outgrown the space,” chief marshal Mike Reily told the council at a May 5 work session. “There are a lot of people jammed into a small space. It’s inadequate and the layout is awkward.” He described how spaces like the interview room are used for multiple purposes and privacy is hard to come by for victims and suspects. He said that as the vehicle fleet transitions to more electric vehicles, a garage is needed to protect battery capacity during cold weather.
The town had originally planned to relocate the marshal’s office to the current Crested Butte Fire Hall but in 2023 the council agreed to use that building for other community purposes and explore renovating the current marshal’s space on the municipal campus by town hall.
The proposed expansion would add 1,000 square feet to the current marshal’s office that is 1,800 square feet. The total remodel would add another 1,600 square feet of space and reconfigure the existing layout.
The staff report for the May 5 meeting had suggested a second alternative to conduct a more major expansion with a complete rebuild taking the building to two stories. That alternative was estimated to cost $8.5 million, but Reily said it was determined such a huge expansion didn’t make sense given the money and timeline needed.
“I feel if we get this added space, we will be good unless the town gets a lot bigger and needs more officers,” he said.
The council budgeted $500,000 in 2025 toward a design of the expansion and applied for a state grant for $200,000 to help offset that cost. Town manager Dara MacDonald said the next step is to issue a Request for Proposals for an architect and designer. The town has $5 million earmarked in the capital budget for a marshal’s facility upgrade in 2026 / 2027. Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2026.
KBUT to stay but council wants to be clear about future…
Mayor Ian Billick did raise a concern about expectations with KBUT. The town hopes to eventually find the radio station a spot in another public building, perhaps the current fire station once its use is determined, or in the eventually renovated original Center for the Arts building.
A letter from the KBUT board of directors to the town outlined its space crunch and priorities for upgrades that included a multimedia recording studio, a classroom, better office space and storage. The letter stated that KBUT’s “ideal situation” would be to have full use of the entire building.
“The letter made me a little nervous that KBUT was asking for more space as well, and its list of desired upgrades probably totaled about three or four million dollars,” said Billick. “I love KBUT but feel we should start a conversation now about how it evolves in the future and how it is funded. I saw no indication in their letter that they expected to pay for the added space and amenities.”
Billick noted that the council is working on the new “Community Plan” that can address local non-profits and public spaces. “The letter took me a little bit back, so I think we need to be clear and have a discussion.”
Billick said the KBUT issue was peripheral to the expansion of the marshal’s facility but emphasized it was better to start the conversation now instead of waiting until the last minute when the town might ask the station to relocate.
The council could not make an official decision about the expansion at a work session, but it was clear the council was unanimous in its support to expand the marshal’s facility next summer.
