The latest wave of development is underway in the mid-Roaring Fork Valley — between Basalt and Carbondale — forcing residents and local officials to confront difficult questions about what impact these projects will have on the community.
Aspen Daily News reporter Scott Condon has been covering the development boom in the midvalley, including two projects that were recently approved in downtown Basalt and Willits and a third in the pipeline near El Jebel.
Together, those three projects include 355 units, with about 25% designated for affordable housing.
That’s in addition to the 340 residences at the Tree Farm project under construction across Highway 82 from Willits.
“You know," Condon said, "at some point, I think the Roaring Fork Valley is going to have to grapple with the issue of when you’re looking at 25% affordable housing out of new projects — with the shape that the valley is in and with the lack of affordable housing — are we ever going to catch up if 75% of all new units are free market?”
The Basalt Center Circle project was approved last week by the Basalt Town Council in a 4-2 vote. The downtown Basalt development is in the building that once housed Clark’s Market and where the BLT Taqueria and Jimbo’s Liquor storefronts are located.
It includes a new grocery store and 65 apartments, 17 of which are deed-restricted and price-capped for affordable housing.
Two weeks earlier, the Basalt council also voted 6-1 to approve the final piece of local developer Michael Lipkin’s Willits project.
The 12-acre lot, officially called Parcel 5 of Sopris Meadows, is in the residential area between Willits Lane and Willits Lake.
It was approved for 155 condominiums and apartments, 46 of which are deed-restricted.
Half of the deed-restricted units will have rent caps, and the other half will be for sale.
A little farther down the valley, Eagle County commissioners are still considering whether to approve The Fields project across Highway 82 from the Blue Lake neighborhood.
The proposal includes 135 residences, including 27 deed-restricted units.
The second hearing for the project is set for Oct. 11 and will be open to the public.
Aspen Public Radio recently talked with Condon about these three projects and the impact they might have on the community.
You can listen to the conversation in the audio story above.
