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Show WASATCH City Its lift towers follow the route of the old tram towers that once carried silver ore off the mountain. Then, the toward the end bulldozers Construction projects on moved began either becamé known Street. One was of 1992, on two side of in. large what as extended Main the Summit Watch project - 135 residential units (each 1,250 square feet) and another 50,000 square feet of commercial space - perched on a large underground parking garage. The other was the so-called Fletcher Kimball project, a three-story building plus parking garage that would occupy the old Fletcher property plus adjacent land bought from the Kimball family. The plans called for the two Fletcher houses to be moved off the site during construction, then replaced on top of the parking garage. None of this exactly took Watts by surprise. He was chairman of the planning commission in March 1977 when the first proposal to develop the site reached City Hall. A partnership of Park City and Salt Lake City businessmen — including Bill Coleman, John Prince, Harry Reed, Jack Sweeney and Wally Wright — asked the commission to approve a development plan for the 13-acre site that included a ski lift; restoration of the Depot and the Coalition Building; the use of 35 to 50 restored railroad cars as lodging units; and the construction of a 100-room hotel and 20,000 to 30,000 square feet of commercial space in two-story, turn-ofthe-century commercial buildings. October 1981, the yoming Shows pride in organizations that protect the world we live in by continuously donating a portion of our profits to: Summit County Land Trust, Park City Recycling Center, Utah Wilderness Association Huntsman- We hope you take a vested interest in your Surroundings by making The Wasatch Mountain Times Christensen Corp. announced plans for a $100 million, nine-building complex that would include “several hundred” condominium units. Meanwhile, to speed the construction of nearby Deer Valley Drive, the city had begun quiet negotiations with several owners of property on the proposed right-of-way, including Huntsman-Christensen. And on June 3, 1982, the an important part of your mountain 518 Historic Main 801-645-9427 @ Wyoming Wear JACKSON HOLE, FLEECE FEET USA to build struc- tures taller than if height were measured from the actual grade on the Depot property. Because the law allows the city to conduct property negotiations behind closed doors, the agreement was signed with very little fanfare, In fact, the Park Record’s coverage of the June 3 meeting included no mention of the agreement at all. DANA WILLIAMS Honesty, Integrity Experience tele EO UUIES LPT Ie) Developers capitalize Soon after the agreement was signed, PREMIER REALTY Fields fame. 801-649-4400 800-825-8889 Huntsman-Christensen sold the Depot itself, but kept the rest of the property. The new owner of the Depot was Randy Watts’ house and garage near Park Avenue construction project. Park City, Utah & Jackson Hole Wyoming council approved an agreement that called for Huntsman-Christensen to give up land for Deer Valley Drive in exchange for some city-owned land within the Depot area. Besides the land trade, the agreement also included a liberal definition of “natural grade” for the Depot property that clearly benefited the developers. Since building heights are measured from natural grade, the definition, in ESSENCE, allowed Huntsman-Christensen lifestyle. Wyoming Woolens of Mrs. Fields aria isamiie Jon the Jewel of Park City Cookies In the spring of1985, Huntsman-Christensen sold the remaining property — about six acres — to a Dallas corporation, Ramco Custom Homes Co. The sale price was reported to be more than $10 million. However, thanks to the national savingsand-loan debacle and a slump in Park City real estate prices in the late 1980s, the property ended up in the hands of the federal Beautifully Renovated Vicotorian Meeting Room ideal for your Reception, Family Reunion or Corporate Event Our Hotel offers: Beautiful Lobby Front Desk and Guest Services Fine Catering Opportunities First Class Accommodations Continued on page 15 PAGE 9 A the Park a 1985, (ce Bring in the new and big In November Ski Area opened the Town Lift. Its lower terminus was on the site once occupied by the Coalition Building. HIS FIGHT Watts had strong reservations about commercializing the site, and said so then. But today he describes that first proposal as “quaint” in light of what has happened since. A book could be written on the twists and turns that have taken place the past 18 years. Before the end of 1977, Jack Sweeney, owner of the Coalition Building and surrounding property, had split from the partnership. In March 1981, the Depot and eight-and-a-half adjacent acres was sold to developers Blaine Huntsman and Ladd Christensen. In <= 8d wy > < Continued from page 8 TIMES NN ONE MAN SURRENDERS MOUNTAIN |