ullr commons | Building Solutions

Aspen, C0

Client: Carbondale Affordable Housing Corporation

Employer-sponsored housing; conversion of a lodge to 27 residential units in Aspen, Colorado
Aspen and Pitkin County, Colorado have an extensive housing program in order to help working residents live in the community. Employers, however, are desperate for housing options for their employees, both to retain them and to relieve the stresses and pressures of long commutes given the continued lack of housing for working people. Building Solutions created the model for the project, sought and organized the employers, and managed the entire development, financing, and construction process.

Many options were explored. The core employer group became an advisory body meeting monthly to review plans, corporate structures and financing options. Employers found that in joining together to cooperatively purchase the Ullr Lodge, they could access a professionally managed housing project without diverting attention from their core businesses. Additionally, the larger scale permitted smaller employers to utilize employee housing that they could not obtain on their own. Management of the property was worked out cooperatively among the employers with the assistance of Building Solutions. This approach to solving a severe housing shortage has many applications, but may be particularly suited to areas such as resorts and suburban areas where the number of employees available to local businesses is directly related to the quantity and price of nearby housing. A proactive approach by employers can help establish the political and community understanding of the need for diverse housing. The Ullr Commons has lead the way for other private-public efforts in the area, including a project which was the initial inspiration for the Ullr, at Keator Grove.