The city of Durango’s efforts to support commercial developments in the Southfork character district west of Three Springs subdivision continue slowly but surely.
Last month, Durango City Council approved a preliminary development plan for a 107-room Hilton hotel at 32 Miners Court along Wilson Gulch Drive.
The hotel, formally known as the Hilton Home2Suites, would join other projects just west of Mercy Hospital, including a 124-unit senior living center under development called the Mesa Verde Estates, and a Starbucks to be built directly west of the proposed Hilton hotel.
The building proposal includes an outdoor patio, grilling area, a gym and indoor pool, in addition to electric vehicle charging stations and a shuttle service to Durango-La Plata County Airport.
Durango Community Development Director Scott Shine said the Southfork character district was annexed with the intent of turning it into a regional commercial area. He said Wilson Gulch Drive was a collaborative infrastructure project among the city, La Plata County, the Colorado Department of Transportation and GF Properties, and was pursued to enable the realignment of U.S. Highway 550 with U.S. Highway 160 and the Grandview interchange.
At a Community Development Commission meeting in June, Durango Planner Mark Williams said Southfork and Wilson Gulch Drive development have always gone hand-in-hand. The annexation was funded in part by city bonds that will be paid off by sales tax generated from developed commercial lots.
“We haven’t had a lot of development out there. The Subaru dealership is there. The Maverick gas station is there. An assisted living center is under construction,” he said at the time. “And that’s about it for the time being. But there’s a lot in the works, including the Hilton Home2Suites.”
Shine said the hotel design exceeds the standard height limits in the area, but city staff are in favor of making exceptions because the design allows for elevator shafts and mechanical equipment at the top of the building.
“They will be doing a number of public improvements as far as access, water and sewer that is served by South Durango Sanitation District, and they’ve been working with them as well as the fire district to make sure the property can be adequately accessed for emergencies,” he said.
In June, the Community Development Commission voted 4-2 to recommend City Council approves the preliminary design. Commissioners Weylin Ryan and Sarah Schwartz voted “no.”
Shine said that vote was held shortly after forming the Community Development Commission, and commissioners wanted to discuss broad policies and the city’s approach to developments.
“Some of the commissioners have that sort of a lens on things. They were looking at more the economic impacts of a chain hotel, the adequacy of hotel rooms in Durango, the impacts on housing and some of those other things,” he said.
Ryan said there are “quite a few hotels” in Durango, including 400 more hotel rooms expected to open in the future. He questioned if another hotel is really serving a community need.
cburney@durangoherald.com
