South Main, WTF? - Page 3

Warren · 07-02-2009

Now if you are looking for an affordable housing option they are available. They are providing an option for those seeking that with the row houses coming in under $250K for a two bedroom and a three for under three. The nicer homes may cost a bit more but have you seen the place. You may not feel the style fits good old redneck BV but its actually an acceptable practice to improve your surroundings. If you want to not be paying those prices you could move to Parker instead. If you want to live in a place like that you are going to have to pay for it. Coming from the Durango viewpoint we can understand. We have to scrape to not have to live in the front range but when I wake up a realize where I live it makes it all worth it. If you get down to what it actually takes to create the infrastructure of a community, the asthetic contributions and the building costs of the actual home the numbers are right there. Don't like it, don't move in but berating them for building such a beautiful community seems moronic.

RDNEK · 07-02-2009

Skid I cant even begin to start with your post....

That may well be the most uninformed and ignorant rant that has ever crossed the buzz...

You my friend are a true jackass...

RDNEK · 07-03-2009

Mut... You the man!!

To skid mark - man if we only ran this town with the perspective of a 4th year raft guide... Funny how you and every other 4th year raft guide knows everything about BV

....

I still cant see how you feel good about your choice to personally attack the Selbys..... I have known the family for going on shit 15 years now and they are one of the most stand up families/people that I have ever had the opportunity of runnin into here in BV.. NO DOUBT that BV is a better town today and will be a better town because of them... Oh yea and I was only born here....

So still to you skid mark... Not one word has come from you to show that you are not the biggest jackass maybe ever to cross the buzz... If you dont like the development that is one thing and make a thread about it... But to come on here and attack the selbys as you have is again one of the lowest if not the lowest thing I have ever seen here on the buzz... I wonder if you feel that your kid is proud of old daddy right now!!!

Last night there were a few of us paddlin in the playpark (if you enjoy this park you should thank the selbys - almost all of that playpark would not be there with out them) and a group of 10 locals were jokin about skid and how dumb this thread was... As we made our way down to my brothers house I thought about how fortunate BV is to have a family like the Selby's to develop this 40 like they have... As mut said deano would have had a different plan....

Also just so you know my perspective is shaped from a family where my great grandfather moved into the Jackson area before it was Jackson, A grandfather who moved to Aspen before it was Aspen and a father who moved to BV before it was well I guess BV.... I have had more truck rides where the story was man I shot that 34" buck righ on that hill before them million dollar houses were there... Or that was the best rabbit field in the valley before that development.... Just the way it goes... This has not changed in 3 generatons and will not change in ours... Great part about what the selbys are doin here in bv is that I hope to tell my kids that "kid where we are kayakin right now is where all of bv dump the trash".... Not a bad improvement..

psu96 · 07-03-2009

Since the OP brought the Selby's character into play I thought I would post. As a second year kayaker last year I was paddling the #'s at 1900cfs, I managed to get myself pinned before number 1(right after the stealth puitin) for about 20 seconds, I was able to free myself and roll up, I was with one of my buddies. I almost quite the sport right then. My buddy talked me down and we paddled on.. number 4 which is where I started to lose my mental game...eddied out and there was Jed. He was there with another group and knew my buddy. Jed could tell by the look on my face that I was super nervous, he took the time to walk me through the lines and offered to help with safety, he did this with numbner 5 as well. At that moment it was exactly what I needed. Not trying to put him on a pedestal but he could have laugh and paddled on. He probably doesn't even remember this because it's part of his character and prolly has done it numerous times. Thanks Jed and to the rest of the fam for making SM a relality.

carry on

Geezer · 07-02-2009

Agree with d.e that a post like this is coming from a Crested Beutician. Dang, that place is waay overdone.

Sawtooth · 07-02-2009

The original poster describes an interesting paradox of the new west.The majority of mountain towns have created realty based economies. Say what you will, but Vail developed the business model in the early 60's. Ski area operations operate on very tight margins while the margins in real estate and development are far better (historically). Ski areas and golf courses and maybe whitewater parks, attract buyers. That being said, in the new economy the viability of this model is being tested. Clearly Buena Vista does not have an economy that can tolerate very many $400,000 homes. Which is similar to other towns in that they attract retirees, vacationers, and speculators. Which has the net effect of altering the social fabric, for good or bad, not my intention to judge that aspect. The homes in South Main are not what could be considered affordable in Buena Vista and I have found little evidence that that was ever their intent. The frustration stems from the rapid change from rural agricultural economies to more urban and realty based economies. Never an easy transition, quite often long time residents are priced out of the community by rising prices that are not congruent with rising incomes. That being said, most resort developers have a tough row to hoe right now. Not to mention that kayakers are not typically big spenders.

Enough of that. Anybody paddling anything fun this weekend? I'm down for the III-IV.

dograft83 · 07-02-2009

Mc I agee with you 1hunderd %. wtf I like towns with no income. That makes these projects fail! I wish i had money to get me and education so I can spell and make cents and know about what I am talking about.
good for bv to have that in the town. for a town to make it it has to have people living or at least own land there. I think I get your point that bv is getting bigger and that sucks to a point but with the times we are in if people want to spend that much money on a house the taxes that the town will get will only help everything out. So stop your bitching and moaning and look at the good side of shit so you dont sound like a total dumb ass

KSC · 07-02-2009

Maybe my perspective is skewed, but I wonder if this idea of the dirtbag kayaker is a myth. I mean obviously there are some, but are there more than in the generally population?

I remember seeing some Nealy thing where he said kayakers tend to be intelligent and successful in other aspects of their life. That's generally been what I've seen as well. Most of the kayakers I know seem to drive nice cars, live in nice homes and have good jobs. Most of the "dirtbag" kayakers I know are still in school and living no different than other students.

And are kayakers not known for spending much money? Most kayakers are rolling down the river with at least $2k worth of gear, not including that $1k camera/video camera and they're dropping lots of money on travel. So who are these dirtbags?

brendodendo · 07-07-2009

Well here is my input:
I knew Katie and Jed in DGO. Jed was young and Katie was hanging with a bud of mine. Since moved from Durango and lost touch many years ago.

I moved to Carbondale a few years ago. I could have bought a 1 bed 1 bath in Aspen with my then girlfriend (now wife) for $250,000. After looking down valley, we decided to buy in Carbondale. 3 bed 2.5 bath. 1 car and yard. free market. It's not easy living here, even after we got a good mortgage. probably like most mountain towns, where u sacrifice a grood income for a great environment.

We have a newer low income, (supposed) new urbanism development in town called Keator Grove. It was a purpose built project of Aspen Ski Company. Its built using some green building practices and incorporates some park and trail amenities. The development is 5.6 acres. Was supposed to be 52 units. Now sits at 8 town homes and 22 single family homes with garages. The two-bedroom, two-and-one-half bath town homes are being sold at $359,000 and the three-bedroom single-family homes are being sold for $499,000. restrictions include: RO- A resident must occupy as their primary residence nine out of twelve months of the year. Price Cap - There is an appreciation cap that is 4% to 6% per year based on the Consumer Price Index. AND - one individual in the household must be employed a minimum of thirty hours per week by a business with operations within the “Area of Eligibility”, which is basically Aspen to Glenwood Springs.
There are no income restrictions.

Problem is ASC could not sell their 30 units to employees and has now contracted with a local real estate agent in order to sell the remaining units.

Incomes are better here than in BV, but that does not make this place affordable. I'd rather spend that type of money on a place that is ON the river.

As an aside, my tax assesment placed my home at $489,000 for the period ending last June. What a crock of crap. Housing prices in this area were inflated by stuffing people in houses, investors and bad mortgage practices. I'm only to happy to see that prices are falling. Means that some of you out there might actually be able to afford a home in this area in the future. Home prices don't mean dick untill you try to sell and somebody hands you a check.

DurangoSteve · 07-02-2009

The "yuppification" of once-funky mountain towns is a painful thing to witness. I've seen it all over the state over the last 30 years. It's not going to stop, though it is certainly slowing in this downturn. Thing is, these not always welcome changes do bring economic opportunity to small towns where earning a yearround living used to be really hard. It's a trade-off.

I did have to laugh that a Crusty Beautician was getting all pissy about this "swanky" development...