Tom Ross

07-12-2009

The Boulder developers of a set of duplex townhomes in the mixed aspen and conifer forest at 2330 Val d’ Isere Circle moved earth and heaven to realize their latest project.
“We hauled 12,000 yards of dirt out of here and poured 370 yards of concrete,” Jonathan Nassar said. “Really, the site dictated the architecture.”
Nassar, whose New Design Logic recently built the Arista live-work lofts near the Broomfield Events Center, teamed with Jay Czarkowski, of Construction Deign Group, on the project. It includes 4,000 square feet on each half. The three levels of the homes are terraced into a lot bordering a seasonal creek. The stream still was running with musical snowmelt during the first week of July.
Czarkowski’s company just broke ground on the amenity building for Barn Village at Steamboat.
The two men collaborate on duplexes in Steamboat and have built several on the winding mountain roads south of the ski area. Before they could begin construction on their latest project, they had to raze a much smaller duplex dating to the 1970s and tame the steep driveway.
They paid $726,000 for the property and considered it to be a very attractive price even though they intended to scrape the older home. The northern unit is priced at $1.75 million, and the south side is priced at $1.65 million.
The developers have split the listings between two different real estate brokerages.
Susan Ross and Robert Yazbeck, of Coldwell Banker Silver Oak, have listed the north side, closest to the creek. Chris Wittemyer, of Prudential Steamboat Realty, has the listing on the south side of the duplex.
The two homes share many similarities, but it doesn’t take long to realize they also were carefully planned to be distinctly different.
“They were designed to accommodate two to three families,” Nassar said, “with the kids on the third floor, separate from the adults.”
Each side has master and junior master suites.
The master on the north side functions much like a self-contained, high-end hotel suite with a wet bar that suggests the owners wouldn’t have to leave
their room in the morning to enjoy coffee, rolls and juice.
The dark hardwood flooring and steel stair rails strike a balance between the traditional ski area look and contemporary design.
Czarkowski said they used as many local subcontractors in the project as they could, including Morris and Sons electrical contracting. Kitchen Performance did the cabinetry, which features kitchen cabinets whose glass doors open vertically and slowly close themselves without the usual bang.
The north side has a hibachi-style cooking island for cooks who like to interact with their guests. The kitchens have dual ovens and dishwashers.
Bathrooms feature travertine tile and Hansgrohe stainless fixtures.
Both homes have fireplaces on three levels and an unusual number of decks and covered porches to take advantage of the wooded setting.
Coincidentally, Nassar and Czarkowski independently own duplex lots at Barn Village. Nassar said with stringent financing that requires 20 percent down, he will wait for the economy to rebound before building there.
Czarkowski and his investors have adapted their business plan and will move forward with at least one duplex building at Barn Village, he said.
“I got everybody together and said, ‘This is the world we live in now guys.’ We’re approaching it now as a nightly rental, expecting to reduce our holding cost,” Czarkowski said.
“It won’t be complete until the fall of 2010, and if the market still stinks in 2011, we’re all in trouble anyway.”