1st & Washington Ave Redevelopment
A project of the Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency
Welcome
Thank you for visiting our website for the 1st & Washington Redevelopment project. The Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency (KURA) has selected Wood River Community Housing Trust/deChase Miksis as the development team to move forward with a project at 1st St & Washington Avenue. For the latest project status, please go to the Latest Project Status tab.
In June 2021, the Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency (KURA) identified the redevelopment of the 1 st and Washington Ave property as one of the top priorities for the organization to initiate.
This website is the hub for all information related to the redevelopment of the 1 st and Washington property. Here you will find information about the:
- KURA - who we are and what we do
- Latest Project Information
- Project - goals for redevelopment, process, and request for proposal information
- Property - history, location, and site information
- Outreach - how community members can participate
- The development proposals & KURA decision
You can continue scrolling down to browse through the full content or toggle to different sections using the navigation bar above. If you don’t find the information you are looking for, please send an email to info@ketchumura.org.
Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency (KURA)
The mission of the KURA is to implement the projects identified in the Ketchum Urban Renewal Plan which emphasizes public improvements and facilities that may enable:
- affordable workforce housing
- improvements to streets, sidewalks and other public infrastructure
- assembly of land into parcels suitable for development
- an improved environment for economic development and public/private partnerships
- elimination of unsanitary and unsafe conditions
- parking lots/structures
- other improvements that would strengthen the tax base and encourage private development
For more information on the KURA, its members, and other projects or initiatives, please visit www.ketchumura.org/kura
About the Property
The 1st and Washington property is half a downtown city block located one block west of Ketchum’s Main Street along N Washington Ave, between 1st and 2nd Streets. The property is in a prime downtown location within a block or two of the newly constructed Limelight Hotel (an Aspen Ski Company property), Argyros Performing Arts Center, various shops and restaurants, a grocery store, and the historic Forest Service Park. An aerial image showing the adjacent uses can be viewed here .
The property is four Ketchum Townsite Lots with a total of 22,000 square feet. The KURA purchased Lots 5 and 6 from the City of Ketchum in 2018 and has owned Lots 7 and 8 since 2006. The property is currently a temporary public surface parking lot. For more specific information about the property, please visit the “Site Information ” tab on this website.
About the Project
The proposed project consists of 64 rental workforce housing units with 41 parking spaces. The target resident will have a household income between 80% to 140% of the County Average Median Income (AMI) making $64,600/yr- $90,440/yr for a single individual. Tenants must be full time employees in the city of Ketchum or Blaine County and may not own a home in Blaine County or elsewhere.
Latest Project Status
Proposed Project Design
First + Washington Project Additional Public Parking Survey
Click here to participate in the public parking survey for First + Washington
Joint Meeting with KURA and Ketchum City Council
At the July open house, the public asked the KURA to revisit inclusion of public parking as part of the First + Washington Project. The KURA agreed to identify public structure options and since August, options were developed. The KURA and project development team identified six parking structure options along with cost estimates. These options were presented at a joint meeting of the KURA and Ketchum City Council on November 18, 2024. The cost for Option 6, the preferred option, is significant. Since the November Joint Meeting, efforts are underway to evaluate alternative funding options for the public parking. Presently, a Local Improvement District (LID) is being explored as the funding option.
To view the parking structure options and staff report click here
To view the November 18, 2024 joint meeting presentation, click here
Public Open House
Please join the KURA and Wood River Community Housing Trust for a Public Open House on the proposed project. The open house will be July 24th at 5:30 PM at the Limelight Hotel. More information below.
Thank you to everyone who attended the July 24, 2024 Public Open House. The public provided comments on the proposed project and direction on potential public parking options.
Below are the public comments provided at the meeting.
Project Schedule
Following the public open house on July 24, 2024, the next steps include the following:
- August 13, 2024, Planning and Zoning Commission Pre-Application Design Review Meeting
- Fall 2024, Planning and Zoning Commission Design Review and Lot Consolidation Public Hearing
- Winter 2024, City Council Review of 4th Floor and Lot Consolidation Application
- If Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council approvals are granted, construction is estimated to begin late summer 2025.
Parking Options
In 2023 the KURA hired Desman Inc. to evaluate public parking options for the site. The KURA reviewed public parking options at their March 13, 2023 meeting. Below is a link to the the staff report and parking options. On April 24, 2024 the KURA and Ketchum City Council held a joint meeting to review the options and determine the path forward. At that meeting, it was decided the inclusion of public parking in the proposed project was too expensive.
Community Outreach
It is important to the KURA that members of the public are aware of and involved in the redevelopment of the 1 st and Washington property.
Public Meetings
As one of the priority projects for the year, the KURA has been discussing the proposed project at each KURA meeting since November 2023. The KURA meets on the 3 rd Monday of each month at 2:00 pm MT. All meetings are open to the public and virtual participation options are available. CLICK HERE for upcoming meetings, agendas, and packet information.
Community Workshops
Community Open House, July 24, 2024.
The KURA in conjunction with Wood River Community Housing Trust will be hosting an open house on July 24, 2024 at 5:30-7:00 PM at the Limelight Hotel.
Community Open House April 13, 2022
KURA and Agnew::Beck hosted a community workshop regarding the potential development of the property located as 1st St & Washington Ave on April 13th. The open house was open to the public between 4:00-6:30pm and was designed to facilitate participants to provide feedback on possible design scenarios and elements of the project.
Over the course of the open house, 21 members of the public reviewed ionformation provided by the KURA staff and consultant support. Below are images of information provided to the public at the open house.
The open house focused on gaining feedback from the public on the project goals and proposed project concepts including, housing, parking and activation of the ground floor. The KURA Board developed three goals for the project based on their mission and the current and future needs of the community :
- Provide local, affordable workforce housing downtown, particularly for professionals and those essential to a strong, diverse downtown economy.
- Provide structured public parking in anticipation of long-term downtown growth and development.
- Provide active ground floor opportunities to maintain vibrancy of downtown.
Participants at April 13, 2022 open house
A full summary of all community feedback received through interviews and open house was included in the packet for the April 18th KURA Board meeting as discussion item #4. CLICK HERE for the packet materials.
Other Ways to Engage
Can’t make the meetings? Please send us your ideas and questions to info@ketchumura.org.
Site Information
Location & Addressing
Site Address: 211 1 st Street
Legal Description: Lots 5, 6, 7, and 8 of Block 19, Ketchum Townsite
Parcel Numbers:
- Lot 5: RPK0000019005B
- Lot 6: RPK0000019006B
- Lot 7 & 8: RPK00000190070
Zoning & Lot Dimensions
Zoning District: Community Core
Subdistrict: CC-2 Mixed Use
Lot Dimensions: 220' x 100'
Area: 22,000 square feet
Setbacks
- Front and Street Side: 5' Average
- Rear (alley): 3'
- Setback for 4th floors: 10'
- Non-habitable structures, fixed amenities, solar and mechanical equipment affixed to a roof from all building facades: 10'
Allowable Building Height
- 52'
- Buildings greater than 48 feet in height or that contain a fourth of fifth floor shall require final approval from the City Council
- Additional information on the dimensional standards for the site can be found in Ketchum's Municipal Code Section 17.12.040
Request for Proposal
The KURA issued a request for proposals for the redevelopment of the 1st and Washington property in May 26th 2022. Please see below for links to the RFP and all supporting documentation.
Full RFP Package - Click HERE to download
Click the Links Below for Individual RFP Attachments:
Development Proposal
Wood River Community Housing Trust/deChase Miksis Development Team
