A green construction fence has surrounded the lot at the corner of Sun Valley Road and First Avenue for about two years, but nothing has been built. The land remains empty and riddled with chunks of asphalt as the town waits for the Gallery 260 building—approved in June 2008—to be erected.
The deadline to build the 66,000-square-foot, 48-foot-tall building has passed several times. And, every time, the city has granted an extension. Once again, developers want an extension to their construction deadline of June 23, hoping to have until June 23, 2011, to start building. But this time they need the Planning and Zoning Commission's approval.
Marty Goodman, a representative for the developer, told the P&Z on Monday that financing isn't attainable because of the economy, the same reasoning used in past arguments for extensions.
"It is the intent of the owners to start construction of the project as soon as economic conditions allow," he said, claiming the Ketchum/Sun Valley area is flooded with new condos for sale below cost. "Most of these units will need to be absorbed before sales prices will increase to allow for new development."
Gallery 260 is planned to house an art gallery and other retail space on the ground floor and contain 22 condos. Another seven housing units would be deed-restricted.
The P&Z granted the requested one-year deadline delay. And, Goodman said, the site will be cleaned up in the meantime. He said the rubble will be removed, the ground graded to a gradual slope, and the alley's hanging asphalt cut into a straight line instead of its current jagged appearance. Goodman also said the surrounding construction fence will be removed.
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The P&Z made an additional request, seeing that the site may remain vacant for another year and sits along one of the town's main roads, Sun Valley Road. They want it hydro-seeded by July 2 and routinely watered.
Goodman's immediate response was of reluctance, claiming that a water source isn't apparent. But the P&Z was insistent, especially Commissioner Rich Fabiano, who said the lot is a "focal point", and a building was there before with a water source.
"Is there a reason why it has stayed the way it has for this long?" Fabiano asked Goodman.
Goodman eventually agreed to hydro-seeding.
Gallery 260 is just one of several city-approved projects that have been given more time to build, and for the same reason—the recession.
Ketchum approved the proposed five-story Bald Mountain Lodge on May 17, granting developers a four-year window to build. The usual window—given to the Gallery 260 building—is one year, but developers asked for five years, citing the economy's impact on obtaining financing. The city said four years was enough, seeing that the same consideration was given to the proposed Warm Springs Ranch Resort.
P&Z Commissioner Deborah Burns said this decision should set a precedent that developers of stalled projects are required to hydro-seed until construction begins.
The City Council didn't require developers of Bald Mountain Lodge or the Sun Valley Center for the Arts building—proposed at the Simplot lot across from the post office—to do so.
Trevon Milliard: tmilliard@mtexpress.com
