Make way for the new

Seems old and new Vail are meeting at the Crossroads.Old Vail just hates the idea of a rebuilt Crossroads of up to 99.9 feet tall. The height and bulk do not fit their notion of what Vail should be about, even if the town Planning and Environmental Commission is aboard now.New Vail seems to love it every bit as much as old Vail hates it.New theater complex to replace the long worn theater in the current complex, bowling alley, ice rink and plaza in place of the parking lot, lots of shops. What’s not to like? Besides, this new Crossroads wouldn’t be that big.The Town Council will take up the discussion tonight, and it should be an interesting one.We’ll admit that we like it. The size isn’t so bad, considering the location out by the Frontage Road. An advantage of the size might well be as an extra noise barrier between I-70 and the core of Vail Village. Also, the old Crossroads is not only really tired, but it wastes space big time with the parking lot on the surface.The new Crossroads on the board now would form a much better link between the village core and the shops and at the western end of Meadow Drive.If supporters are making a bigger case than the reality for luring downvalley folk up to Vail, well, that’s OK. The place would liven up Vail a little more for visitors from everywhere. Nothing wrong with that.Developer Peter Knobel’s plan for condos instead of hotel rooms is OK, too, considering the rooms coming with other projects and using the condos in a rental program. And who is going to argue seriously with 338 underground parking spaces?This bit of old Vail indeed does need to give way to the new.Vail, Colorado