Breckenridge, Colorado
The new BreckConnect gondola that links the skier parking lots in Breckenridge to the Peak 8 base of the Breckenridge Ski Area was constructed in 2006 to replace an outdated shuttle bus system. In 2007, Ecosign was retained to develop master plan concepts for the potential redevelopment of the day skier lots. Ecosign's challenge was to extend the character of the historic district into the development and create an interesting pedestrian environment that would encourage day visitors to linger in Breckenridge, while still providing the necessary parking, transit and skier staging facilities. Over the course of the year, Ecosign developed several master plan concepts that were shared with the Town and Vail Resorts. Each of these concepts incorporated an extension of the Blue River Riverwalk with a feature park, connections to Main Street, the local and regional bus transit hub and public amenity spaces. The proposed buildings were limited to 3 to 4 storeys to remain in character with Breckenridge's historic downtown.
Ecosign's planning work identified several conflicting viewpoints regarding the future of the site and assisted the Town and Vail Resorts in understanding the complexities of creating a workable master plan to accommodate demands for parking and transit in a unique and attractive pedestrian oriented neighbourhood. Ecosign's work was followed up by a joint community planning effort carried on by Vail Resorts and the Town, commencing in 2008. The Gondola Lots Master Plan was adopted by the Town Council in January 2010.