Design team looks at Brush Creek through local lens

By Alan Wartes

Although the proposed affordable housing development at Brush Creek has drawn fire from many in the north end of Gunnison Valley for being incompatible with the surrounding community — a question now under consideration by the Gunnison County Planning Commission — the team of architects and designers responsible for the plan’s details was originally assembled with local sensitivity in mind.

That’s according to Gary Gates, owner of Gatesco, the Houston-based development company that forwarded the proposal with a land-use change application filed in late summer.

“I wanted to enlist people who were a part of the Crested Butte community,” said Gates. “I knew there would be some opposition — nothing like what we’ve seen now, but I wanted to make sure it was designed to fit in with the community and I wanted an all-Crested Butte team as much as possible.”

The application now under review proposes to build a 240-unit complex at the intersection of Hwy. 135 and Brush Creek Road on approximately 14 acres of land currently owned by Gunnison County. The property was purchased in 1998 by four local entities — Gunnison County, the Town of Crested Butte, the Town of Mt. Crested Butte and Crested Butte Mountain Resort — to be set aside for future affordable housing or transportation development.

The plan designates nearly two-thirds of the the total number of units as deed-restricted affordable housing based on income eligibility. The project’s lead architect is Crested Butte resident Andrew Hadley.

“Something I always work with is to try to make the most efficient space possible,” said Hadley. “And to bring a mountain aesthetic to those buildings. I think a lot of the neighbors are worried that somebody’s going to come in and slap up a cheap housing development, and I’ve been hired because of the quality of my work in the valley.”

Hadley admits that, if approved, The Corner at Brush Creek will be his first opportunity to design a development of its size from the ground up — though he has participated in numerous renovations of similar sized buildings.

“I think my lack of experience there is going to benefit the project,” Hadley quipped. “I don’t know how to design those kind of soul-less spaces. I’m coming at this to design a space that I think is going to fit nicely into the Crested Butte fabric.”

His past work includes commercial buildings on Elk Avenue in Crested Butte and large homes in the Skyland subdivision. Hadley said energy efficiency is also a major goal of the project’s design.

“Gary has expressed that he wants to hold on to this project and not just sell immediately,” he said. “He’s concerned about his bottom line … and it makes absolute sense for the owner to put in high-quality materials and to make the buildings as efficient as possible.”

Crested Butte native John O’Neal serves as the Brush Creek project manager. He was  responsible for pulling together the team and shepherding the proposal through the county’s Request for Qualifications and Request for Proposal processes.

“I like creating community,” said O’Neal. “That’s what I’ve done for many, many years in different places. I like the idea of creating a great place for people to live. But I saw the nature of this town changing, with more and more year-round residents moving away. I decided I want to fight for this town, with a thriving local population and a sustainable future. This is the door that opened.”

Others on the team include Crested Butte landscape design firm Sprout Studio, Gunnison General Contractor Christopher Klein, Inc., Crested Butte-based Resource Engineering Group, SGM, Crested Butte real estate agent Doug Kroft and Gunnison’s Law of the Rockies.

“We hope to build something that dispels the notion that larger buildings can’t look good and that architecture can’t create spaces and environments that are very similar to the community values that people in Crested Butte hold,” Hadley said.

The design team has committed to answer all questions from members of the community and consider all input, O’Neal said. To submit a question or concern — and access the team’s responses — visit thecorneratbrushcreek.com.

(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alan@gunnisontimes.com.)