Moving Estes Park Housing Authority offices to the newly acquired SkyView event center at Fall River Village may end up solving EPHA’s cramped operational space conundrum, although the concept still is in the consideration stage.
During the housing authority’s annual meeting on Jan. 8, Scott Moulton, executive director of the housing authority, said that during the acquisition of Fall River Village public discussion about how SkyView would be used became a “distraction” that took the focus off the housing created with the conversion of the former resort property into rental units. Moulton said discussing options for the use of the event center will alleviate future concerns about how the building may be used and return the public’s focus to housing.
The EPHA’s lease in the US Bank building on East Elkhorn Avenue expires in June and there is no room for the agency to expand to meet its rapidly growing staff needs in its current location. Being able to use the event center space at Fall River Village could solve both lease and expansion issues.
“Under the development code, we could do nothing with that space, in essence, and it doesn’t make sense to keep it as an empty building and have us pay $23,000 roughly a year in rent,” Moulton said about the building known as SkyView because it has only 11 parking spaces.
When originally constructed, the development got around parking requirements for the building as it was designed to only serve those staying in condominium units with their own dedicated parking spaces. Now that each of the condos will be leased to individuals who meet the criteria for occupancy, the building is considered separately and must meet additional parking requirements, Moulton explained.
Previous discussions about the building’s use have included converting the Sky View space into a childcare center for the residents of Fall River Village.
The SkyView event center contains an upper level, which includes a deck that is 90% outside, the main level, and a basement level. According to Carlie Bangs, Town of Estes Park housing and childcare manager, the only appropriate childcare space was on the main level and retrofitting it which would require an extensive investment to meet restrictions and requirements for licensing.
Instead, Bangs identified a four-bedroom unit one-level unit and an adjacent one-bedroom unit that could provide housing for a childcare provider as preferable.
Moulton acknowledged that the SkyView space could look “very different” in four to five years, and it is possible the location at Fall River Village could be temporary for the EPHA offices.
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