Durango Mall’s owners are objecting to a new proposal to build a motel and a separate mixed-use building at Mercury Village.
The mall’s owners, Richard and Kim Rathbun, have a history of questioning development near the mall. They filed a lawsuit a few years ago challenging Mercury’s 80,500-square-foot office building. They eventually reached an agreement with Mercury to drop the lawsuit, and the building opened in May.
The Rathbuns’ renewed issues with development near the mall is raising eyebrows among Durango’s business community. Retailers typically welcome surrounding commercial development, which can lure potential customers. Mercury’s move put 450 well-paid office workers at Durango Mall’s doorstep.
The latest proposal calls for a three-story La Quinta Inn and Suites with 84 rooms at East Turner Drive and Translux Drive. At least 20 percent of the rooms would be suites, with a separate living room and bedroom. A second building would have a coffee shop and pizza restaurant on the ground floor, with two residential apartments on the second floor.
In an email message Thursday, Durango lawyer Denny Ehlers, who represents the Rathbuns, said the mall is not opposed to the project.
“Durango Mall is not interested in fighting a proposed development,” he said. “We have submitted some objections and concerns for the Planning Commission packet to be discussed and reviewed. Durango Mall supports development that is safe and well-planned and respects the legal rights of Durango Mall and its operations.”
The proposed development comes from LaPlata Lodging, a limited-liability company registered to Dawn Carnel of Colorado Springs.
Will Rogers, an architect for Associated Architects of Denver, said the developers hope to work with the mall. “We always like to work hand-in-hand with people to alleviate any concerns,” he said.
A project manager for the proposed development did not return a message seeking comment Thursday.
When the proposal landed, Ehlers was quick to lodge objections. After asking to delay an Oct. 28 hearing on the project before the city of Durango’s Planning Commission, Ehlers submitted a four-page letter Monday outlining the mall’s issues:
The intersection of Turner Drive and Translux “is unsafe and nonfunctional as currently constructed,” Ehlers said. He said trucks attempting to negotiate the intersection drive over the pedestrian crosswalk on Turner and up the sidewalk, endangering pedestrians.
Ehlers said adding traffic to the intersection before it’s improved “would make safety concerns worse and would be a serious mistake.”
Residential units violate the planned development agreement for Mercury Village. “There is no residential development allowed, even with an amended or new conceptual plan,” Ehlers said.
He added, “This is as far from a mixed-use or residential neighborhood as you can get in Durango. Residential units should not be allowed.”
No traffic study has been done to evaluate how the development would affect traffic on U.S. Highway 550/160.
Drivers could use Durango Mall’s parking spaces given limited parking at the proposed development. Ehlers suggested a barrier or fence be erected between the proposed development and Durango Mall.
The proposal makes no mention of where snow would be plowed.
Ehlers said the mall’s side is willing to meet with the project applicant.
Roger Zalneraitis, executive director of the La Plata County Economic Development Alliance, said motel rooms can boost the tourist industry. He also noted the motel would be near Mercury, Bodo Industrial Park and Mercy Regional Medical Center.
“You get a decent level of corporate traffic in that part of town as well,” he said.
cslothower@durangoherald.com
