ISSUE #261: A Two-Stall Food Hall in City Hall? (10/23/23)

"The society that lives on subsidies and freebies is always responsible for a corrupt governance."

-- Dr Ashok Anand

Plans to repurpose The Armory are underway, but in its typical fashion, the city seems ready to muck things up there too. I attended an open house earlier in the month and was horrified by the process, the input and the likely outcome.

Simply put, there are great ideas for activating this historic space but trying to do all of them at once is a recipe for disaster.

I share my thoughts for the future of The Armory HERE, from yesterday's Aspen Times.

NOVEMBER BALLOT

Your November ballot should have already arrived. Questions? Visit www.PitkinVotes.com

The critical local decision is the vote for School Board. If we've learned anything in recent years, school board elections matter.

Beyond that, there are two state tax measures that need to be defeated.

These are not endorsements per se, but here is how I am voting.

Aspen School District (vote for 2)

·      Sarah Daniels

·      Katy Frisch

Our school district is trending in the right direction under superintendent David Baugh. It is imperative that we elect common sense people to the school board who support Baugh and maintain the focus on academics, core subjects, test scores and meritocracy over indoctrination.  The teacher’s union has a candidate in this race – it is imperative that we defeat this candidate and elect those with proven track records who will work with the existing board to deliver results for our children.

Proposition HH  NO

Positioned as property tax relief, at first blush, HH may seem like a good idea, but the devil is in the details. It sounds like it will save you money, but it won’t. Prop HH will reduce or eliminate future TABOR refunds, which is essentially a tax hike. And renters will also be negatively affected. The measure also enables the legislature to extend the new revenue cap forever without asking voters. Besides, property tax issues are better addressed by local communities. HH is a Trojan horse that will further complicate our already confusing property tax system, lift spending caps and allow the State Government to INCREASE SPENDING by 25%. Vote NO.

Proposition II  NO

This measure seeks to allow the State to retain excess tax revenue collected on the sale of cigarettes, tobacco and nicotine products, beyond the taxpayer approved levels as determined by the vote to collect these taxes in 2020.  In its first year, the tax revenue was $208 million, $21.5 million more than the estimate. If Prop II passes, the State will keep the $21.5 million plus $2.15 million in interest ($23.65 million) and spend it. The program is fully funded. Refund the excess revenues.  Vote NO.

* * * * *

The community was recently invited back to The Armory, Aspen’s 1892-era civic center that later served as city hall until vacated for the unwelcoming, new-ish Taj Mahal City Hall in 2021. This time, it was another off-season city outreach session to gauge interest in re-purposing the centrally located 19,000 sf structure for “community use,” and more importantly to identify which uses are preferred. (There was no mention of costs or financing for the project.)

If this sounds a lot like how we ended up with the design of The Lumberyard that includes balconies, mud rooms, underground parking and elevators for the soon-to-be-built rental housing project out by the airport, you’d be spot on. The same contracted consultants were there with three options and stickers you could “vote” with, along with sticky notes upon which you could make your specific wants known. Here we go again.

Driven by a 2022 directive from city council, this outreach session is intended to inform council’s forthcoming decision on remodel and reuse plans for The Armory that address a laundry list of pre-determined “guiding principles.” Imagine, if you will, a financially self-sustaining, welcoming, lively and diverse entity that honors our history and small town character, provides unique, meaningful and affordable offerings while incorporating sustainable systems to highlight our green-ness. 

This could be really exciting, that is, until you attempt to be all things to all people.

The three options presented were each a schizophrenic hodge-podge and combination of disparate offerings, including a community lounge, welcome center, flex space, retail vendors, co-working space, a coffee shop, ACRA offices and a “food hall,” notably with just two vendors.  Free snacks and sodas brought out the off-season regulars who weighed in with their personal wish lists: non-profit offices, pool tables, a dance hall, an indoor farmer’s market and artist spaces. Sounds like the state fair.

Most shocking, however, was the palpable focus on addressing solely “local” desires. Many there felt The Armory needs to address the rising cost of living in Aspen through free access and “cheap” food, entertainment and goods for those who are cost-burdened by their choices to live here. One sticker said it all, “Can we limit entry to locals?” There was even a board where one could define the “L-word,” perhaps to clarify who it is we need to keep out. 

In short, despite the high likelihood of having a welcome center of some sort in the building because of its location and the fact that we are a tourist destination after all, most attendees were clear in wanting The Armory for themselves. It was exclusionary to say the least, with little likelihood of being in any way financially sustainable. I came away envisioning a big, subsidized daycare center for those with a local ID card.

A shred of optimism came from the subtle chatter about turning The Armory into a food hall. Not what was lamely thrown into the mix by the consultants who presented the concept as merely “two food vendors” in the basement, rather, something grand, a destination befitting the space. Popular throughout Europe and experiencing a renaissance in the US, the idea of showcasing multiple vendors in an accessible, communal dining environment makes a lot of sense for The Armory, warranting further research and study, just not by the city.

There are professional firms that specialize in designing food halls all over the world. They retrofit historic buildings and activate them in cities and resort towns. Food halls are known to revitalize downtowns and serve residents and visitors alike. And if you’ve been to a food hall, you know they’re great fun with high energy, and offer something for everyone. The open, counter-service stalls provide low barriers to entry and shared overhead, so no need for subsidies, especially government ones.

Food halls feature food producers, artisan bakers and budding chefs who come together and cater to culinary fans who don’t want the restrictions of table service at one restaurant.  Take Denver Central Market. This popular food hall in a refurbished 14,000 sf building in RiNo, Denver’s artsy-industrial neighborhood, is a community anchor that offers a mix of culinary start-ups and established favorites. 

What’s not found in a food hall, notably, are offices and work spaces, meeting rooms or “lounges” for those with nowhere else to go. 

The future of The Armory, left in the city’s hands, is certain to become yet another missed opportunity like everything else they touch. We’ve seen what they’ve done with the Taj Mahal City Hall and “community activation” of Galena Plaza.  And now that the micro-managed design of The Lumberyard is moving forward, it will be more than tempting for city council to shift their newfound architecture and design prowess toward paint colors, doorknobs and flooring materials for The Armory. 

Instead, it’s time to pick a lane, issue an RFP and bring in the best minds to deliver something that checks all the boxes and one the entire community can be proud of for locals and non-locals alike: a food hall at The Armory, with more than two stalls.

The Armory was constructed in three months in 1892 at a cost of $15,000. Contact TheRedAntEM@comcast.net