Impressive yet private, the home’s soaring windows and limestone walls compliment the property’s naturally beautiful surroundings, matching the captivating, rock cliff backdrop of Mt. Crested Butte.

The living spaces comprise over 7,800 square feet including a gorgeous living room and dining room, a library, a spacious home theatre featuring a 110 inch screen, a wine cellar, an exercise room and five fireplaces.

The home offers five bedrooms and eight bathrooms. Unique features include the three-floor luggage lift, reclaimed oak beamed ceilings and an authentic English pub bar.

The heated decks keep the mountain elements in check.

Architect designed and built by true craftsmen, the home was created with a variety of specially sourced materials from around the world.

A few of the highlights include limestone from Kansas, antique white oak beams and lumber recovered from old Pennsylvania warehouses, walnut harvested from a grove in Pennsylvania and locally produced chandeliers, sconces, handrails, grates and rods made from forged, black wrought iron.

Three antique Indian cooking pots were repurposed into a wash basin and bar sinks. A Chinese elm table was converted into a wash stand in the main powder room.

In the Master Suite, the chandelier from North Carolina was glazed to match wall sconces discovered in a Vermont antique store and the reconfigured rosewood bathroom vanity originates from Taiwan.  In the Master Sitting Room, the teak doors with iron spikes and an original painting from a Portuguese building built during the colonial occupation of India will certainly catch your eye.

The Library features an expansive oak and leather trimmed English library table (circa 1840), a dark oak bookcase with wild game carvings and an oak server with barley-twist legs that echoes the twisting frame of the bookcase.

The Copper John Parcel – 6th and Belleview Ave.
$3,000,000

In car racing, they call it the “pole position”. This is the largest, undeveloped, commercially zoned parcel left in the town limits of Crested Butte and it is arguably the best location in town for a variety of uses.

Highly visible and located at the entrance to town on Highway 135 aka 6th Street, every vehicle that comes to town or to the ski resort passes right by this parcel.

Zoned B2 and T1, developers have many choices regarding the highest and best use of this land.

Neighbors include the Center for the Arts, the Town Park, TrueValue, Clarks Market, the Majestic Theatre, LeBosquest Restaurant, Why Cook? Deli, the Florist, ACME liquors and Bubble Wrap.

The ski resort free shuttle stop is across the street!

Access points to the parcel from both Belleview Ave and Hwy 135 aka 6th Street.

Comprises a total of ten (10) town of Crested Butte commercial lots, .72 acres and 31,250 total sft.

Details:

.72 Acre Parcel
31,250 Total Sft.
B2 and T1 Zoning
2011 Taxes: $26,460

Happy Snow Day from Crested Butte,

If the real estate market momentum we realized in 2011 is any indication of what we can expect this year, 2012 will be a good year for the Crested Butte real estate market.

Consider the following:

In 2011, the single, highest residential real estate sale we realized in Crested Butte was $3.125 million. This sale marked the first time since June 2007 the $3 million threshold was cracked for a home purchase at this end of the Upper East River Valley.

Also in 2011, we realized over 220 sales of homes and condos from Crested Butte South to Mt. Crested Butte. This is a jump from 143 total sales in 2010. We passed $105 million in total sales volume – the first time we’ve done that since 2008. And, we hit this mark with mostly all cash investments!

During 2011, the average days on market for sold homes and condos sold went down and average sold prices and average sold prices per square foot went up in all areas including Crested Butte South, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. See my newsletter 2011 Issue #9 for details.

Already in 2012, we have realized a $4 million sale of a Sotheby’s listed home in the Prospect ski-in ski-out subdivision. Its been over 6 years since somebody has purchased a house in our market for $4 million or more. (2005 sale: $4.3 million Skyland home). This is momentum!

Teocalli Park and CBMR’s New Master Plan

The North Face lift with chairs? Two new ski lifts rising a total of 8000 feet to the top of something called Teocalli Park? CBMR has submitted a new master plan to the US Forest Service and its quite a departure from the Snodgrass Mountain expansion plan that was denied a few years back. Read the article at the Crested Butte News

Did You Know – “The Crested Buttes”

The East River Valley where Crested Butte is located was once used as a summer residence by Ute Native Americans. The Utes were quickly displaced when white explorers – beaver trappers and surveyors – first entered the valley. Captain John Gunnison, Gunnison County’s namesake, was one of the first explorers to find the valley. Crested Butte got it’s name from a geologist named Ferdinand Hayden who was on 1873 expedition surveying the Elk Mountains. From the top of what is now known as Teocalli Peak, Hayden referred to present day Crested Butte Mountain and Gothic Mountain as “the crested buttes.” 

Crested Butte In The Media

The San Francisco Chronicle ran a recent article about our little town. …“where every view seems to contain a snow-capped peak and ranchers still herd cattle on city streets – the American frontier is alive and well.” View Article

2011-2012 Air Service to Gunnison and Crested Butte

View Flight Schedule (PDF)

Thanks for reading today! We hope to see you in Crested Butte very soon!

Channing Boucher
Broker Associate
Benson Sotheby’s International Realty

Channing Boucher

The newly built home sits on Nicholson Lake and a 1.36 acre parcel in the coveted Alpine Meadows subdivision. It is just 3 miles to the Town of Crested Butte and 3 miles to the Crested Butte Mountain Resort ski lifts.

Out the door, it is only 200 yards to the Slate River Road trailhead and the National Forest. You can literally snowmobile, cross country ski, mountain bike and hike right out the front door straight into a outdoor paradise. The fishing and boating on Nicholson Lake is private to you and the other families that live at Alpine Meadows.The attention to detail in this beautiful Nicholson Lake home is remarkable.  And, the views of the lake and surrounding mountains will captivate you.  The home enjoys an open floor plan with 3,300 square feet of living space, radiant in-floor heat, Brazilian Cherry floors, a gourmet kitchen, and a wood-burning rock fireplace.

The gourmet kitchen is a chef’s dream.  Featuring a walk-in pantry, beautiful custom cabinetry, granite countertops and granite island, state-of-the-art appliances, a five-burner gas range, this kitchen will entertain friends and family alike for years to come.

The living spaces extend outside onto the 1,000 square foot western deck, a great spot to soak in the sunsets and mountain views of the Slate River Valley.

Upstairs you will find 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms furnished with a good night’s sleep in mind.  The master suite features a Cal-King bed and a master bathroom with an oversized steam shower.  The south-facing windows bring the Colorado light into the home and frame the incredible views of Nicholson Lake and the surrounding Rocky Mountains.

Additionally, there is a spacious media room featuring vaulted ceilings and the office/den includes a functional wrap-around desk.

View Website and 360 Virtual Tour

A Brief History of Crested Butte Colorado
A former coal mining town now called The Last Great Colorado Ski Town, Crested Butte was named because in 1873 a geologist named Ferdinand Hayden was on expedition surveying the Elk Mountains and from the top of what is today known as Teocalli Peak referred to present day Crested Butte Mountain and Gothic Mountain as “the crested buttes.”  Howard F. Smith, considered the founding father of Crested Butte, laid out the Town by 1878.  While Smith was originally attracted to the area because of the extensive coal deposits, he first built a smelter and saw mill to service the hard rock mining camps located in the surrounding areas.  This established Crested Butte as a major supply center prior to becoming a long-term coal producer. Crested Butte sits at an elevation of 8,885 feet and is located 28 miles north of the City of Gunnison in the County of Gunnison.

The East River Valley where Crested Butte is located was once used as a summer residence by Ute Native Americans. However, they were quickly displaced when white explorers first entered the area. The first people to explore the valley were beaver trappers, followed by surveyors. Captain John Gunnison, after whom Gunnison County is named, was one of the early explorers to enter the area.

In addition, around 1000 miners resided in the surrounding areas.  Smith served as the first mayor of Crested Butte and sold half of his interest in the Town and 1000 acres of coal land to the owner of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad in an effort to persuade the extension of the railroad from Gunnison to Crested Butte.  Smith’s tactics proved successful and the railroad arrived in Crested Butte on November 21, 1881.  The arrival of the railroad ended Crested Butte’s isolation and facilitated the expansion of the coal industry and the simultaneous expansion of the Town.  By 1882 Crested Butte was home to 1000 people and had five hotels, a bank, several saloons and restaurants, three livery stables, sawmills, doctors, lawyers and the Union Congregational Church, which still stands today and is Crested Butte’s oldest building.  Residents got their water from a two-million gallon reservoir located above the Town and in 1882 a telephone line connected Crested Butte and Gunnison.  In the early 1880’s Smith sold 320 acres of his coal land to Colorado Coal and Iron, which later became Colorado Fuel and Iron (CF&I), and by the mid-1880’s he departed.

Coal mining emerged in earnest in Crested Butte during the 1880’s and 1890’s.  The early coal miners, and the majority of Crested Butte residents preceding 1895, were Anglo-Saxon from Wales, Scotland, Germany, Ireland and Cornwall.  These immigrants were followed by Greeks, Italians and Southern Europeans from Slavic countries.  By 1893 all of the silver mines in the area closed and while many other communities failed, Crested Butte survived because of coal mining and coke production.  CF&I owned the Town’s coke ovens, where coal was burned to remove impurities producing a product called coke.  The coke was shipped to Pueblo, Colorado where it was used in steel production. Crested Butte was a company town through and through, with CF&I as the Town’s largest employer and providing company housing.

The most significant mine in the 1880’s was called the Jokerville Mine.  The CF&I owned Jokerville mine contained bituminous coal and directly below the mine lay coke ovens.  On January 24, 1884 an explosion at the Jokerville mine occurred and the mine never re-opened.  Some accounts say that 59 miners were killed in the Jokerville Mine disaster, while others say that 69 miners were killed.  Later that same year, CF&I opened the Big Mine and by 1902 it was the third largest coal mine in Colorado and produced the highest quality coal in the state.  Four hundred miners produced 1000 tons of coal daily.  With improved machinery and electrification, production increased after 1930.  The Big Mine operated for 58 years and not surprisingly, Crested Butte relied heavily on the Big Mine as a source of income.  Other mines operated on and off in the surrounding areas, including Buckley, Robinson, Pueblo, Horace, Pershing and Peanut.

As is often the case in a company town, tension existed between the often-exploited miners and the Town’s employer.  In 1891 the first major strike occurred over a cut in wages.  A second major strike began in 1913 and lasted for 18 months, causing the mines to close until 1915.  This strike finely ended, but with few concessions made to the miners.  The final major strike occurred in 1927 over a 20% pay reduction.  Again, this strike ended without the miners achieving their demands.  With the closing of the Big Mine in 1952 the era of coal came to an end in Crested Butte.  Three major factors contributed to the closing of the Big Mine: Railroads were converting to diesel fuel; the CF&I steel mills in Pueblo found a closer and thus less expensive source of coke; and coal began being replaced by gas and electricity.

In 1955 the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad removed their tracks and Crested Butte’s population and economy declined.

Then, in 1960 Dick Eflin and Fred Rick from Kansas purchased a ranch northeast of the Town of Crested Butte and by the winter of 1962-63 had opened a ski area on Crested Butte Mountain with Colorado’s first gondola.  This area grew into the present day resort town of Mt. Crested Butte, home to the Crested Butte Mountain Resort.

407 Cascadilla is a well built, energy efficient Crested Butte South home featuring Brazilian cherry hardwood floors, reclaimed timber trusses, granite tops, knotty alder cabinets and cork floors in the kitchen! Other features include Energy Star rated appliances, in-floor radiant heat and Loewen windows, a Viesmann Vitodens 200 on-demand hot water system and natural gas plumbed to the outdoor deck for summer grilling! The home benefits from good passive solar gain and the mountain views from every window are awesome!

Enjoy two big decks (east and south) and a great location across from the Crested Butte South community park, tennis courts, ice rink and nordic skiing. The one-bedroom apartment features a full kitchen, living room and private access.  

Property is listed on VRBO #329096

Short Sale Offer Price: $295,000
360 Virtual Tour | Website

The Town of Crested Butte reports an overall 7.5% increase in sales, lodging and restaurant tax revenues, reaching the best revenue totals we’ve seen since 2008! View 2011 sales tax breakdown (PDF). Up in Mt. Crested Butte the news is just as good. This past July, the town of Mt. Crested Butte collected $136K in revenues on more than $2.7 million in taxable sales, which is the biggest collection for the month of July in the history of Mt. Crested Butte and 34 percent above an 11-year average. View recent Crested Butte News article.

With the improvement in our local resort economy and the stunning growth of our summertime tourism business, interest levels in Crested Butte business for sale opportunities are starting to grow as well. Of course, in a resort economy like Crested Butte’s, restaurant, bars, retail and lodging businesses make up the majority of the current opportunities. But, there are other business opportunities available too including the local TV station!

Here are some of the most interesting (and profitable) business ventures that are available for sale in Crested Butte today:

Djangos Restaurant and Wine Bar – $389,000 (more info)
django’s restaurant & wine bar artfully combines a superior location, an inviting atmosphere and a unique dining concept to make it the #1 restaurant in Colorado as rated by guests on TripAdvisor. django’s menu and their extensive wine list are inspired by the cuisines of Southern Europe. This popular Crested Butte business is established and profitable which makes it a perfect time to consider a purchase. django’s is located at the base of Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s ski area base in the heart of the courtyard at the Lodge at Mountaineer Square. The main ski resort shuttle bus stop is literally steps away from the front door of the restaurant, dropping visitors, skiers, locals and 2nd homeowners off every 15 minutes.  The resort’s main ticket office and retail shops are all located nearby and it’s a quick walk to the ski slopes in the winter. Purchase price includes extensive leasehold improvements, all fixtures, all furnishings, the equipment, the current inventory, intellectual property and menu secrets, social media accounts, a top ranked website, Open Table reservation and customer relationship management system, business handover consulting and new owner training. Existing lease is assignable and competitively priced with good terms. Restaurant seating accommodates 50 patrons with additional patio seating for up to 50 patrons.

LoBar Restaurant and Lounge – $249,000 (more info)
This is a very special opportunity to acquire a highly profitable restaurant and lounge venture in a very cool place to live and work. The LoBar is located in the heart of the commercial district in downtown Crested Butte at 303 Elk Avenue. The restaurant’s menu is eclectic and includes many popular sushi and Japanese influenced dishes. The LoBar transforms itself nightly into Crested Butte’s social hot spot, featuring great lounge and bar seating and private dining areas.

The business is ideally suited for it’s market, enjoying a loyal installed base of local customers as well as a prominent, national reputation as the place to patronize when in Crested Butte. The financial results reflect a business in command of its market. Purchase price includes extensive leasehold improvements plus all of the fixtures, furnishings and equipment.  Also included is seller training and consulting, marketing collateral, brand, menus and trade secrets.  Business summary and financials provided upon request and execution of a NDA.

Crested Butte Television Station Channel 10 - $825,000  (more info)
Incredible opportunity to own, operate and reap the benefits of the only Crested Butte television station – CBTV Channel 10. CBTV Channel 10 is for sale after many years of successful operations. The business was started in 1996. Originally an affiliate of the Resort Sports Network (RSN), CBTV10 is now part of the Outside Television network. In addition to 24/7 Gunnison Valley television broadcasting, CB TV earns income from local, regional and national advertising, video production, editing suites, corporate promotional services and stock footage. Sale includes 3, FCC, Digital LPTV broadcast licenses, all equipment, proprietary technology, software, customer lists, training, trade secrets and business handover consulting. Complete financials available including description of FCC DLPTV licenses and technology.

LeBosquet Restaurant and Why Cook? Deli – $399,000 (more info)
This opportunity is a rare find for the serious restaurateur or business person looking to capitalize on the growing Colorado ski and summer resort market Crested Butte, Colorado. The owner’s are retiring after a 30+ years in Crested Butte. Imagine owning an award-winning restaurant and upscale bar in an intimate and contemporary mountain setting with a professionally designed kitchen. Additionally, this offering includes a separate gourmet catering and take-out deli business immediately adjacent to the restaurant. This business shares the same kitchen and storage infrastructure. Located in a busy shopping and services district – The Majestic Plaza – of Crested Butte. Crested Butte Center for the Arts is across the street, the Majestic Theatre, The Daily, Clarks Market and ski resort shuttle stop are closeby. Large PUD parking lot, ADA accessible and bonus 700 sq. ft exclusive use patio for outdoor seating included.

For additional insight and a look at other business for sale opportunities in Crested Butte Colorado, contact Channing Boucher at Benson Sotheby’s International Realty. 970-596-3228