A new Durango developer is planning a 50-unit apartment complex along Florida Road.
Durango City Council recently approved a rezone of the 2.42 acre property at 1689 Florida Road (County Road 240), but it will require several more hearings before final approval.
Zebken Properties owner Rick Milton plans to build five three-story buildings and manage them as rentals.
This is his first project in Durango, but he has worked as a project manager for developers in Seattle.
Apartments are a no-brainer right now because vacancy rates are near 2 percent, he said.
“It’s such a great place to live, the demand is going to keep on going,” Milton said.
He expects to break ground on the project in the fall at the earliest.
The apartments may be mostly one and two bedrooms, but there could be some three-bedroom units.
He does not plan to build on the western portion of the property because it is steep.
But a trail around this area is planned, architect Rick Feeney said.
As part of construction, Milton plans to build a new section of Metz Lane to access the apartments. It will also extend to the edge of the property, in anticipation of the completion of Metz Lane.
The road will be built to city standards on one side, with a sidewalk, but the adjacent property owner will be responsible for construction on the other side.
Some residents have expressed concern about the additional traffic from the housing project.
As part of the city’s review process, a traffic study is required to examine the impact to Florida Road.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
