CREJ - Building Dialogue - September 2016
Exciting changes are in store for some of Colorado’s best-known ski areas – Snowmass, Aspen, Winter Park, Steamboat and Vail all have implemented or are planning upgrades and enhancements as they focus on elevating their visitors’ experiences, catering to multigenerational resort-goers and providing activities that will draw both vacationers and locals year-round. And it’s all being done with the expectations that annual resort visitors will continue to increase year-over-year. Winter Park and Steamboat are in the midst of evaluating growth and upgrade opportunities. Resort owner Intrawest has enlisted OZ Architecture and Dunn & Kiley Landscape Architecture to develop modern vision and conceptual master plans for each, with the intent of enhancing those plans developed 10 to 15 years ago. Recommendations have been provided on how to best position existing and future buildings, including hotels, condominiums, amenity facilities, restaurants and wide-ranging, multiseason outdoor activities. At Winter Park, improvements to the Balcony House may be on the docket. The new design being proposed will respect and protect the area’s natural resources while addressing guests’ needs of today. Additionally, the redevelopment of the Balcony House site would develop a more year-round recreational experience that appeals to all ages and enlivens the core of the village and ski base. This is not yet finalized by the resort, but discussions are underway. Innovative plans at Snowmass will bring a breath of fresh air to an area that has been awaiting updates for several years now. Aspen Skiing Co. is moving ahead with the Limelight Hotel at Snowmass and a new skier-services building, both of which are expected to break ground in the spring, around the same time that Related Co.’s Snowmass is expected to begin executing long-planned improvements to the two main arrival buildings on an adjacent site. As efforts to program the village for all-season activities get underway, ideas such as an ice skating rink that will transform into a farmer’s market and community entertainment plaza in the summer are also being drawn up. In the center of Snowmass Village, OZ Architecture is also partnering with Aspen-based Harry Teague Architects to design a new Snowmass Discovery building to house the Ice Age Discovery Exhibition, an interactive mammoth and mastodon museum that the town hopes will be a year-round draw for locals and out-of-towners of all ages. The drive for more year-round, nonskiing activities at mountain resorts is not an accident. Most Colorado resorts have been thinking about the effects of long-term climate change for several years now and are pivoting toward becoming a launch point for outdoor adventure and overall wellness instead of simply a place to enjoy snow sports. Four-season activities not only attract multigenerational travelers all year, but also they get visitors interested in longer stays. Offering a full slate of outdoor options – from paddle boarding, community art and culture, to tubing, fly-fishing, river rafting, zip lines, roller coasters, mountain bike trails and aquatics facilities – as well as interesting, wider-ranging food and beverage options that appeal to a variety of visitors are critical to future viability and profitability. In addition to expanding the activity list, resorts also are shifting to accommodate the larger family groups that are traveling together more frequently. The trend of grandparents, parents and children vacationing together means the end of the era of one-bedroom units and higher demand for larger “legacy properties” – vacation homes that can accommodate multiple generations and remain in the family. With this in mind, many Colorado resorts are retrofitting and adjoining smaller units to create three- and four-bedroom homes that also feature a generous common area where groups can comfortably gather. We recently worked with the Viceroy Snowmass Resort to do just this, adjoining what had previously been separate, smaller units to provide additional space and flexibility and, in turn, creating some of its most in-demand rentals. New models of ownership are also being explored. At the Aspen Club, we have worked with owner Michael Fox to create a wellness-based experience with fractional ownership of the units. In this model, vacation experiences are very active and attract the guests who are seeking a healthy lifestyle on their getaway, where their commitment is adjustable based on their fraction of investment. As Colorado resorts shift gears to improve visitor experiences, accommodate multiple generations traveling together and offer unique activities year-round, locals have both the easiest access and much to gain as well. For example, The Sonnenalp Club at Vail, with Johannes Faessler at the helm, recently opened Harvest, a new restaurant by internationally known, award-winning chef Kelly Liken. We worked to ensure that the design of Harvest would fully capture the incredible mountain setting and attract seasoned, high-end travelers while remaining accessible and friendly to locals. Today’s travelers are very interested in being where the locals hang out. They want a truly authentic experience. In addition, the Sonnenalp’s new fitness center has the potential to serve as a neighborhood health and wellness destination with annual memberships available for locals who’d like the option to work out in the facility year round. For those of us living on the Front Range, these enhancements mean a bevy of new weekend destinations and improved services for our outdoor lifestyles. To the out-of-state visitors who deliver essential tourism dollars to our overall economy, the enhancements are a true investment in Colorado as a top destination in the world. bstone@ozarch.com