Durango may be able to build its preferred pedestrian bridge at 32nd Street – an underpass and street-level bridge – after one key piece of property returned to the market.
The city has been wrestling with how to connect the east bank terminus of the Animas River Trail with its northern extension on the river’s west bank. The underpass option, one of two designs being considered, requires purchasing property at 275 E. 32nd St. In mid-August, it seemed like that property was going to sell to a private buyer.
But during a City Council meeting Tuesday, Councilor Melissa Youssef said the property owner’s contract fell through.
“I would love to see us take immediate action on moving this as soon as possible,” said Youssef said. “It appears we might have an opportunity here.”
Mayor Dean Brookie and councilors Chris Bettin, Kim Baxter and Barbara Noseworthy also wanted to launch property acquisition discussions as soon as possible.
“The market is extremely active, especially at that price point, so there’s no amount of time to waste,” Bettin said.
The Emerson-Parks Bridge (32nd Street) river crossing project became a hot topic when Durango’s original plan – a $3.4 million, three-part pedestrian bridge – raised concerns among community members who thought it was too costly, too bulky and out of character for the view corridor.
The objections were numerous enough that the city went back to the drawing board, identifying the $3.4 million underpass option as a suitable alternative. The option gathered support on City Council and the Durango Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
Then in mid-August, the board recommended the city go with the controversial three-part bridge, believing the 0.273-acre plot would sell to a private buyer.
On Thursday, City Council held a special session to discuss purchasing it, bumping another topic to jump on the opportunity. The city is still assessing the legal and procedural hurdles it might face for purchasing the property, said Mitchell Carter, city spokesman, on Friday.
But property owner Kathleen McCormick said the property’s sale is more complicated than it seems. As she waits for more information from the city, another private buyer has expressed interest, she said. She declined to comment further because of the complexity of the situation.
It’s not the first time the city has looked into purchasing the 32nd Street property.
The owners first approached the city about a deal in 2010, McCormick told The Durango Herald in February. The negotiations took so long the arrangement fell through. The owners offered to sell to the city again when they learned some residents were dissatisfied with the three-part overpass option, she said.
The city has invested millions into the Animas River Trail. The $20 million path, uninterrupted by road crossings, is one of the jewels of Durango’s parks and recreation system.
The multimillion-dollar pedestrian crossing at 32nd Street would complete one of the trail’s last connections and continue its legacy of seamless connectivity for users. Not only that, but it would connect the existing trail to its northern extension leading to Oxbow Park and Preserve, a $1.2 million acquisition in 2012.
“I believe in the vision of the Animas River Trail connecting seamlessly,” Youssef said. “It’s been a huge asset to our community, and I’d love to continue on this.”
smullane@durangoherald.com
