The Lionshead Parking Garage Redevelopment/Competition - Vail, CO
Given his 10 year history in Vail and his near perfect record for entitlement success in the town, a Texas Developer contacted 4240 Architecture, Inc. to enlist Robert Fitzgerald and his firm to pose a redevelopment proposition to the Vail community. He wanted to redevelop the dilapidated Lionshead Parking Structure and provide the town with much needed hospitality, arts and parking program. Just finishing up with the ArraBelle at Vail Square and the design of the West Lionshead Ritz Carlton, Fitz looked at the effort as yet another way in which the mistakes of previous Lionshead development could be un-done and a way in which the overall village at the west end could be reconnected to Bridge Street, the ideas inherent in the original impulse to create Vail and a way in which Lionshead could continue to be reinvigorated generally. The very large redevelopment, complicated beyond anything encountered in the Front Door or the ArraBelle, turned into a competition once the idea was introduced to the Town. Using a team of talented young designers, most of which had assisted Fitz on the Ritz Carlton project, Fitzgerald was able to quickly design a development which included the first mountain-oriented W Hotel, a large St. Regis Hotel, and integrated service and food/beverage/conferencing function, a performing and visual arts center, continuous and uninterupted use of the existing parking structure during construction, and an elaborate transit center and retail environment, as well.
The scheme was hailed for its creativity and its sensitivity to the politics and to the difficult construction context of Vail. Once the other competitors had dropped out, the scheme moved forward into Design Development in very much the same arrangement as Fitzgerald had proposed it to be. As of this date, it is awaiting a release of a Vail Resorts covenant so that it may move forward.
Photos
Given his 10 year history in Vail and his near perfect record for entitlement success in the town, a Texas Developer contacted 4240 Architecture, Inc. to enlist Robert Fitzgerald and his firm to pose a redevelopment proposition to the Vail community. He wanted to redevelop the dilapidated Lionshead Parking Structure and provide the town with much needed hospitality, arts and parking program. Just finishing up with the ArraBelle at Vail Square and the design of the West Lionshead Ritz Carlton, Fitz looked at the effort as yet another way in which the mistakes of previous Lionshead development could be un-done and a way in which the overall village at the west end could be reconnected to Bridge Street, the ideas inherent in the original impulse to create Vail and a way in which Lionshead could continue to be reinvigorated generally. The very large redevelopment, complicated beyond anything encountered in the Front Door or the ArraBelle, turned into a competition once the idea was introduced to the Town. Using a team of talented young designers, most of which had assisted Fitz on the Ritz Carlton project, Fitzgerald was able to quickly design a development which included the first mountain-oriented W Hotel, a large St. Regis Hotel, and integrated service and food/beverage/conferencing function, a performing and visual arts center, continuous and uninterupted use of the existing parking structure during construction, and an elaborate transit center and retail environment, as well.
The scheme was hailed for its creativity and its sensitivity to the politics and to the difficult construction context of Vail. Once the other competitors had dropped out, the scheme moved forward into Design Development in very much the same arrangement as Fitzgerald had proposed it to be. As of this date, it is awaiting a release of a Vail Resorts covenant so that it may move forward.
