Cortez is closer to having a third craft brewery in the city.
At their latest meeting, City Council members approved, on first reading, a rezone of three properties on North Market St. to the Central Business District. They also passed an ordinance allowing microbreweries, wineries and distilleries in the Central Business District.
The council will take a final vote after a second reading at its Aug. 9 meeting. City planning and zoning board members recommended approval of the ordinances at their July 5 meeting.
If approved, the zoning changes will make way for the WildEdge Brewing Collective brewery and taproom, which would occupy 111 N. Market St. Co-owner Tucker Robinson said he hopes to start remodeling the space for the brewery by mid-August. The properties at the 101 and 127 addresses are occupied by Reed Architects and Harp Moving and Storage, respectively. The owners of those businesses approved of the rezoning, Robinson said.
The Central Business District extends for one block to the north and south of U.S. Highway 160 through downtown Cortez, from Linden Street to Harrison Street. The lots that were in question share a border with the existing district and lie in the half-block just north of the business district.
Council members also approved a site plan for the redevelopment of the Calkins School building at 121 E. First St.
Calkins Redevelopment LLC developers Becky Barber and Ivy Tu plan a multi-family development for the building, which will hold 13 units. A new annex building will be constructed and will hold 34 units.
Council members previously approved a conditional-use permit for the multi-family development, as well as a primary plat for the site, at their June 28 meeting.
The board approved the site plan with several conditions, including the construction of a 12-foot-wide sidewalk in front of the building for fire department access and the relocation of a sewer line across the northwest portion of the property.
The conditions also require that Calkins Redevelopment LLC must obtain ownership of the building from the Re-1 School District.
Calkins Redevelopment is seeking tax credits from the Colorado Finance and Housing Authority to develop the affordable-housing units at Calkins and should learn in August whether they have been granted. Barber has said she’s waiting to hear about the tax credits before buying the building.
Project Architect Nancy Lauro said developers are looking forward to the development.
“We’re excited to get one step closer to redeveloping this beautiful property,” she said.
