Dear Fellow Owners,
Summer has arrived and with it the unveiling of our redesigned resort!
As I write this, I am on a flight returning from the property where I am pleased to report that phase #2 the resort redesign is progressing nicely and will be completed on schedule That is not to say there will not be some “punch list” items in every unit that may still need to be completed, but these are small items such as:
• Filling a few very small drill holes in the walls
• Touch-up painting a few “knicks”
• Placing some additional artwork or amenities in your unit
• Adding a desk (in a few units) as delivery was delayed for a few weeks
• Add/change a light bulb or dimmer switch
These are minor items that will not take long to complete.
So… what was done in the units?
• Floors on the 3rd and 4th floors were sanded, filled, stained, and resealed
• New furniture was placed in the units on all four floors (all old furniture is gone)
• New paint, carpeting, and rugs in all units
• Outdoor balconies were resealed
• All units received new lighting fixtures
• New amenities were added on all four floors
• All kitchen cabinet knobs were replaced
The result is lighter, brighter units that now have more overall seating. I have found the chairs in the dining room and at the kitchen counters are much more comfortable now that they have padded seats.
As for the rest of the resort:
• New front desk and concierge desks
• The ceiling on the lobby alcove was completed
• Tile floors in elevators were replaced
• Front doors sanded and refinished
• All corridor ceilings were repainted, and new wallpaper and carpeting were installed
After phase #2, the only difference is the units on the first and second floors have not been refinished yet. That will be accomplished in phase #3, which will be completed in the three weeks we are closed at the end of October and beginning of September.
Items not completed:
• Refinishing floors on the first and second floors (this was planned)
• If you arrive next week, you will find that our hot tubs may not be operational yet but are under construction. This was not part of our redesign, but rather a maintenance issue
As everyone knows, no two units are the same. This creates many problems when designing and placing new furniture. There was a considerable amount of time spent trying to improve both the seating and storage capacities of every unit, but the new configurations have to be lived in, as a result, some minor furniture tweaks might still be made.
Several units with cubbies did not meet the latest Aspen building codes so they could not be replaced. In those units, you will now have hanging hooks. We have overstock on many furniture pieces so if a piece of furniture is too big or small or you need something else, we should be able to swap it out. I believe you will be pleased with our new brighter look.
If you are arriving this weekend:
One thing that was evident to me this week is there is a tremendous amount of cleaning to do to get ready for check-ins this week. Refinishing floors is a messy business and we have to make sure all that residue is removed. We also had workers staying in units to save on the cost of hotels for them so all of these rooms need to be turned over. We ask for your patience and do not expect to get an early check-in this weekend. Some units may not be ready until 5 or 6 PM. If your flight arrives early, plan an activity and enjoy the town until your room can be occupied.
Our staff wants to get you settled in ASAP but units will not be released until they are thoroughly cleaned. If your unit does have a punch list, you will most likely be asked if the work can be done. Please try to allow access so the work can be completed. Once again, these are small tasks that take very little time to complete.
What happened to the old furniture?
Items too damaged to be reused or donated were thrown out. Items still in good shape were first offered to employees. Habitat for Humanity was happy to take the remaining items. Rest assured nothing usable has gone to waste.
Looking to the future:
Except for new lighting and knobs in the kitchen, the kitchen and bathrooms were not touched. Kitchen and bathroom demolition is both messy and extremely expensive to redo. In looking through all the units, the kitchen cabinets are in excellent shape, and except for a few bathrooms that need some minor tile repairs. In my opinion, we can certainly get at least another 3-5 years of use out of them. Of course, exceptions will be dealt with immediately.
We will need to replace many of our windows at some point so we will keep our eyes on that. I am not anticipating a need for another major redesign/closedown for the foreseeable future. This will give us time to get our reserves back up so that when the time comes, we can cover the costs without major assessments. The bad news these past two years is we have had some assessments, but things will get back to normal starting this coming fiscal.
Care of our newly redesigned units:
Everyone knows how expensive it was to do the redesign. The lighter colors deserve some added care as they will show dirt more easily. Please remove your shoes before putting your feet up on the furniture. A little extra care will go a long way and cut down on the time it takes our cleaning crew to turn over the units.
Association units for sale – Only two left!
Owner reaction to our special unit pricing has been great and we only have two association units remaining for sale. Both are very nice spacious summer units.
• Week 33 / Unit 34 – 2BR / 2.5 Baths / 1,745 sq/ft – 3rd floor Saturday=$108,000 net
• Week 35 / Unit 50 – 2BR / 2.5 Baths / 1,753 sq/ft – 4th floor Sunday=$112,500 net
Proceeds from any unit will be placed in our reserve fund for future use.
Legal Assessment Due:
You should have received your bill for our final legal assessment which is due June 14th. All of our legal issues are complete. Please do your best to pay ASAP as our bill is due shortly.
As always, any member of the Board is available to address any queries or concerns you may have.
Al Kenney
President, The Aspen Mountain Residences HOA Board
860-354-7979
al@bluewaterfractionals.com
Board Members and Owner Director Contact Information:
Joe Ferguson | jferguson@rjrcapital.com
Tim Hall | timhl9999@gmail.com
Tom Kaplan | tkaplan@kkladvisors.com
Peter Wells | petercwells@yahoo.com
Bruce Clay | bjc2115@gmail.com
Trust – Appointed Member to the Board:
Jami Champagne | Jami.Champagne@vacationclub.com