The Arc of Spring, a metal flower, marks the spot on the corner of Escalante Drive and River Road where new shops, health services and homes will likely open in 2019.
Jerry and Karen Zink are proposing a mixed-use building and expect it will house health-focused businesses, including Karen Zink’s practice, Southwest Women’s Health Associates.
The project was approved by the Durango Planning Commission this week, and the Durango City Council will review it on April 18.
Jerry Zink said he plans to break ground in late May, and intends to sell portions of the building while it is under construction.
The 57,361-square-foot building will have three stories, an underground parking garage and surface parking.
The first floor will house restaurants and retail space, the second floor will be dedicated to health-centered businesses, and apartments or condominiums will be on the third floor.
The second floor will house five to six businesses focused on wellness, nutrition, exercise and other health services. The couple is working with potential tenants, Jerry Zink said.
On the third floor, plans call for a multipurpose room that will serve as meeting and class space, Jerry Zink said.
On the residential floor, Zink would prefer to build condos that will be 1,200 to 1,800 square feet. He is aware of the construction defects lawsuits that have stymied condo construction across the state, but he plans to work on agreements with potential owners to make sure he is protected.
State law makes developers of condos more vulnerable to lawsuits, and it is a problem the Colorado state lawmakers have attempted to correct several times, but bills have repeatedly died.
The outside of the planned building will feature rusty steel panels and sculptures, similar to the flower on the site.
The Zinks have been planning the development since they bought the property in 2015.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
