Citizens and members of the city of Aspen Historic Preservation and Planning and Zoning Commissions were generally appalled at an anonymous developer's application to redevelop the Given Institute property.I reported on it on our local news, but there is never enough time to include everything, or even part of everything.
At last night's meeting the general comments were that the proposed development lacked sensitivity because it asked for nearly $2 million in exemptions from the city as well as height, setback and size limit exemptions and would require cutting down many of Aspen's oldest and tallest trees.
Citizens were irked that there was a development being proposed at all and some mentioned trying to create a consortium of people to buy the property. The anonymous buyer (he's buying the 2.25 acre property and buildings from the University of Colorado for $15 million) is proposing to save the Given Institute building on one lot and subdivide the property into three more for private residential development. Representatives of the buyer said this application was rushed and they wanted to get feedback from the commissions, staff and citizens and go back to the drawing board.
Here's what some various members said during the meeting:
Neighbor Jonathan Lewis
Former neighbor Al Dietsch
Aspen Deputy Parks Director Stephen Ellsperman
Aspen Community Development Director Chris Bendon
Attorney for the buyer Bart Johnson
Planner for the buyer Mitch Haas
Aspen citizen and ACES board member Michael Fox
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