Telluride affordable housing

New Builders for Entrada Project

Written by Karen James

Posted by Erin Eddy

www.ourayland.com
www.ridgwayland.com

May 20, 2009

TELLURIDE – They’ve restored buildings on fashion designer Ralph Lauren’s nearby ranch, built an Earthship from over 3,000 used tires, 100,000 aluminum cans and packed earth for actor Dennis Weaver and his wife Gerry, and now Ridgway-based Allison Construction is slated to pick up the chronically delayed Entrada affordable housing project and deliver it home.

At press time a final contract hadn’t been drawn, but the Town of Telluride and Allison Construction had an interim services agreement through which the parties agreed to move forward with the project while the final documents are being drafted, according to Town Manager Frank Bell.

But exactly when the four-building complex located west of the RV parking lot between Tomboy Street and Cornet Creek will finally be finished has not been nailed down. (Most recently it was anticipated to be complete in April.)

“They’re still working on the construction schedule,” said Bell. “I’d rather them do it right than do it quickly.”

Allison Construction replaces Carbondale-based Fenton Construction on the 18-unit project, which, for reasons that town officials said they did not fully understand themselves, did not seem to be on track for completion anytime soon, despite being more than 80 percent complete and over a year behind schedule.

“We were way behind schedule and not really sure why,” said Bell. “It’s not a really difficult project.”

So the town, which characterized its split with Fenton as a mutual decision to The Watch, decided it was time to find another contractor to finish the job.

“Changing contractors in mid-stream is not the best thing to do,” said Bell. But, “We felt like we needed to bring someone on who was more enthusiastic – we probably should have done it sooner.”

“We just could not have anymore delays,” said Mayor Stu Fraser.

At least one major obstacle that held up the project – getting the pre-fabricated buildings manufactured in the first place – remained outside of Fenton’s control, he said.

Namely, the federal government kept placing orders with the various modular building manufacturers that took precedence over Telluride’s. As a result, that part of the process took longer and proved more difficult than expected.

“We kept being pushed to the side,” Fraser said.

The town has allotted itself two units designated for sale to town employees among the 17 deed-restricted one-, two- and three-bedroom condo units generated by the project.

The R-1 School District, which is paying the construction subsidy on two units, has also secured two units for district employees.

A final unit containing upgraded finishes will be sold on the free market by sealed bid to the highest bidder in order to help offset the town’s subsidy costs.

Fraser said that when the time came the town called Allison Construction after being impressed by the company during its interview to build the childcare center planned as part of the town’s next affordable housing project, Gold Run.

“They’re just enthusiastic, good builders,” said Fraser. “They are very excited.”

Fenton Construction’s Senior Project Manager, Tim Fenton, declined to comment when reached by telephone.