PRESS RELEASE
City of Aspen Moves into Second Phase of Armory Hall Long-Term Strategy Development Process
Provide feedback on the project through April 24
Aspen, Colo. – Thursday, April 7, 2022 – The City of Aspen is entering its second window of engagement in connection with its efforts to create a long-term strategy for the remodel and future programming of Armory Hall (the Armory), located at 130 South Galena Street. This window includes a follow-up questionnaire, two focus group opportunities the week of April 11, and an Open House on Wednesday, April 13, 4-6 p.m. at City Hall, 427 Rio Grande Place.
In February and March, the City invited the public to share their values, hopes and concerns related to community access and potential future uses for the Armory. Feedback was collected online at Aspen Community Voice and through small stakeholder conversations. The goal was to confirm that our community agreed with the project's guiding principles, define what "community access" means, and start thinking about the City's approach to remodeling the facility.
Results from the Community Values questionnaire indicated that the community was generally aligned with the guiding principles. The three that resonated most with the community were:
- Programming should focus on unmet needs within the community
- Uses within the building should provide meaningful, affordable participation in programs and offerings
- The remodel will respect the historical context and contribute to Aspen’s small-town character
“This second engagement window gives us an opportunity to confirm what we heard,” said Project Manager Jenifer Phelan. “Over the next few weeks, the City is seeking feedback about how to continue to prioritize programming ideas and how the remodel could encompass more mixed-use space to meet multiple needs.”
A summary report for the first engagement window is available on the Aspen’s Armory Hall project page on aspencommunityvoice.com/aspen-armory-hall. Initial results indicated that the five top proposed use ideas which also aligned with community needs to address were casual dining restaurants, multipurpose meeting or event space, non-profit services, retail with a lower price point, and co-working office space. Each of these concepts aligned with feedback strongly supporting more general community access and facility use in the future.
Additionally, a number of community-generated ideas were submitted. Like the proposed list, several consistent concepts emerged that the project team included in the list for the second engagement window’s consideration, including childcare, affordable housing, a community center, and social services.
Besides confirming and refining the community’s use preferences, this second engagement window explores community preferences around the remodel aesthetics and square footage, as well as the City’s options to fund, manage, and maintain the Armory in the future.
The community is encouraged to submit ideas, share stories, ask questions, express interest in one of the focus groups, and attend the project’s April 13 Open House. The Remodel and Operational Considerations questionnaire is open for submissions and will close on Sunday, April 24 at 11:59 p.m.
For more information on this project’s history, updates, and engagement opportunities, please visit aspencommunityvoice.com.
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