Avon approves designs for development of final Riverfront plot
The development team hopes to begin construction on 13 townhome units, as well as a pool deck and underground parking garage, this summer
The Avon Town Council at its April 13 meeting approved the first half of the plans on the final plot of the Riverfront development.
The Riverfront development contains seven lots between Riverfront Lane and the Eagle River in Avon. The entire project includes the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, the Riverfront Lodge condos, the Riverfront Residences, the Riverfront townhomes and the Westin Riverfront Mountain Villas.
The final 1.7-acre lot is located to the east of the Westin Riverfront Hotel and will be developed in two phases. The property is owned by East West Partners, which also developed the Westin Riverfront and the Riverfront Lodge, and was designed by Zehren & Associates.
The design for phase one of the lot, which was approved by both the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Avon Town Council last week, will include the development of 13 townhome units in four buildings — a duplex, a triplex and two fourplexes — as well as a pool deck, an underground parking structure and some of the project’s landscaping. According to Jim Telling, project partner at East West Partners, the goal is to start construction on this phase early this summer.
The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the design with a few conditions. These included a stormwater quality plan, short-term parking between phases on Riverfront Lane, an irrigation plan, delineation of landscaping between the two phases, temporary irrigation systems, materials mock-up, mountable curbs and approval of fence and guardrail materials.
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Phase 2 of the project, which is still under design, will include 40 condominium units, including a number of deed-restricted units, and a second level of parking, all above the underground parking structure that will be completed in phase one. The deed-restricted units are part of the development agreement with the town of Avon. Per the agreement, two units of over 1,000 square feet will be deed-restricted to residents of Eagle County. Telling said the hope is that construction on the second phase to begin next summer.
There was some hesitation from Town Council members regarding the development’s two phases. Compliance with town codes — including the addition of the two deed-restricted units — relies on the completion of both phases. However, it was ultimately decided that the town was protected by development agreements as well as trust in the developer.
“We agreed that if this was a new developer we would not go down this path. But we feel comfortable with the track record of this developer and the other agreements that we put in place that we will get this done with the town protected,” said Paul, Wisor, Avon’s town attorney.
The project was designed to complement the entirety of the Riverfront development, taking into consideration the materials and scale of its surroundings. This design includes a number of components to make the property and landscaping more environmentally friendly.
Both the One Riverfront Townhomes and landscaping in Phase 1 will be certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold. The landscaping designation will apply the principals of xeriscaping, with a water-conserving landscape and drought-tolerant plants, to meet this certification. Because the design for Phase 2 has not been finalized, there has been no official declaration that the One Riverfront Condominiums will also be certified LEED Gold, but it is likely.
According to the development plan, “the team is studying the possibility of introducing sustainability initiatives that will propel the project beyond this metric.”
In addition, both the One Riverfront Townhomes and Condominiums will have solar panels on the roof. According to Telling, the buildings will be operated on an all-electrical system in units to offset as much energy use by solar as possible.