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DDA Minutes 2026.02.02DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2026 HYBRID MEETING: IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL OR VIRTUALLY ON ZOOM DDA BOARD MEETING MINUTES, 02 FEBRUARY 2026 PAGE 1 | 5 1. ROLL CALL Downtown Development Authority: Board Members Tony Emrick, Lisa Mattis, Gregg Cooper, Chris Neuswanger, and Wayne Hanson CASE Committee: Committee Members Justin Chesney, Ian Grask, Chuq Yang, Thomas Walsh, Amy Lewis (joined at 3:09 p.m.) Virtual: DDA Board Members Rob Tartre, Marcus Linholm (joined at 3:06 p.m.), Matthew Fitzgerald (joined at 3:07 p.m.), CASE Committee Members Alejandro Cerda, Kristen Dudding, and Pedro Campos (joined at 3:06 p.m.) Absent: DDA Board Members Scott Tarbet and Brandt Marott, CASE Committee Member Kerri Thelen Staff: Town Manager Eric Heil, Deputy Town Manager Patty McKenny, Chief Administrative Officer Ineke de Jong, Chief Cultural Officer Danita Dempsey, Senior Special Events Coordinator Chelsea Van Winkle, Special Events Coordinator Emily Dennis, Planning Manager Jena Skinner, Community Development Director Matt Pielsticker, Chief Financial Officer Paul Redmond, and Financial Analyst Chase Simmons DDA Board Chair Tony Emrick called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Board Member Lisa Mattis motioned to approve the agenda. Board Member Chris Neuswanger seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously by those present. 3. DISCLOSURE OF ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS Board Chair Emrick asked if there were any conflicts of interest and there were none. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT No public comments were made in person or virtually. 5. BUSINESS ITEMS 5.1 JOINT MEETING WITH CULTURE, ARTS, & SPECIAL EVENTS (CASE) COMMITTEE DDA Board Chair Emrick explained the purpose of the joint meeting is to discuss The Summit at Avon and the proposed development for the potential culture and arts space. Town Manager Heil provided an overview of the project, explaining the group will be looking at the potential programming and operations of the community workshop space to promote cultural and arts and activate the pedestrian mall. The Town wants to keep programming simple so the space can be flexible. He explained that Council will be reviewing the design and site plan on February 10, 2026. The Board and Committee commented / inquired: A. What does the budget look like? Is there revenue? What are the expenses? If we’re committing to 50+ years of paying for the facility, what does the ratio look like and how can we come up with an approach to that? Town Manager Heil mentioned there is an idea of the budget with the tax increment funds to support purchasing the space. Early estimates show that funds generated can pay for the cost of the space and would be only 25 years of pledged revenue. DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2026 HYBRID MEETING: IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL OR VIRTUALLY ON ZOOM DDA BOARD MEETING MINUTES, 02 FEBRUARY 2026 PAGE 2 | 5 The Board and Committee commented / inquired: A. On the west half, is that a moveable portion that divides the spaces? B. Are there other potential uses, like a community meeting space? Town Manager Heil noted the Town is working with the architect, and there will be time to focus on building details if the project gets approved by Council. He reviewed some of the details that could be altered from the current conceptual design. Chief Cultural Officer (“CCO”) Dempsey presented a schematic of the conceptual design and reviewed Attachment A that includes the list of activation ideas. The Board and Committee commented / inquired: A. I love the idea of the space and think it would be very beneficial and useful. It could work well with events at the stage and function as a reception area, similar to the Eagle-Vail Pavilion. I am a strong advocate for performing arts and in-person activities, but this space cannot be everything for everyone. I could see challenges with live performances if there is no stage or elevated surface, particularly for theater and dance, which may require some type of floor installation. I also love the idea of having an ice cream and coffee shop in the space. B. The ideas work well, but some will likely need to be trimmed based on the size and limitations of the space. We need to be realistic about balancing classes with open space for people to create art. I disagree that we need an ice cream and coffee shop. I would like to explore other options, such as affordable grab-and-go lunch offerings, to support afternoon activation and add variety. C. We need to review the guidelines and determine a clear approach, including whether revenue can meet expenses. A long-term 25-year plan is necessary to ensure the space can sustain itself. If the Town commits staff to operate the space, that represents a long-term financial obligation. I appreciate that the developer views the project positively, but we should be careful not to pull business from existing for-profit operations. I wonder about Colorado Mountain College and their art portfolio. What might happen as a result of this space to for-profit businesses? The revenue and expenses need to match. D. Do we have a proforma of revenue and expenses? I think looking at the long-term objectives, we want to draw people to that area. That’s what the challenge has been in the space. Town Manager Heil explained that we do not have an idea of expenses yet and there is more to come. The Board and Committee commented / inquired: A. The DDA has met with business owners around the proposed space, and they are supportive. B. Did we lose the idea of liquor sales? That should get us in the black. I agree with the CASE members’ perspectives and appreciate that nearby restaurants have been consulted. I was concerned about impacts to Loaded Joes if this becomes a coffee shop. We should continue to think carefully about what the market wants, and I believe the right concept will present itself. Overall, we are doing a good job communicating our vision and bringing the community together. DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2026 HYBRID MEETING: IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL OR VIRTUALLY ON ZOOM DDA BOARD MEETING MINUTES, 02 FEBRUARY 2026 PAGE 3 | 5 C. I agree a grab and go option would be nice to have. We don’t want to directly compete with other businesses around town. Something with hot food options would be nice. I like how the space is laid out. Getting rid of the back- of-house hallway would add more square footage. Have we done a survey to see what the community wants in that space? CCO Dempsey stated that preliminary surveys were done during La Zona and it was clear that a space like this was desired by our community but there has not been a specific engagement strategy yet. The Board and Committee commented / inquired: A. If the space hosts private events, we should address public restroom access. I recommend adding a separate public entrance to the bathrooms, so they remain accessible during private events. I like the flexibility and modularity of the space. B. We need a plan for a clean-up or wet sink area in the community space. A grab-and-go concept could support a wide range of food options prepared offsite. The hallway takes up valuable space that could be used for tables and seating. We should also plan for AV needs, including wiring for screens and speakers. The space has a lot of potential. C. The coffee shop would have to be closed to the public if there was a private event. The flexibility of the space reminds me of the SingleTree Community Center. D. I’ve liked this project all along. I got stuck during the Finance Committee meeting last week. Currently, there is no clear revenue source, and a coffee shop alone will not generate significant income. Having a third party operate the space could prevent the Town from competing with existing businesses like Loaded Joes. Entering the coffee or ice cream business would pull business from the community. This center is not designed to handle things like a ballet or opera. We need to consider shorter ski seasons and increased summer activity. I revisited the idea of the building next to the library, as Lot B may not meet larger event needs. If the Town provides financial support, it gives the facility an advantage over private businesses. A third-party operator could determine the most appropriate use of the space. E. I would like to ensure that acoustics are good for something like chamber music. The wall that borders the walkway could be removable or moveable, what would the cost be to open that wall and allow the space to be open to the outside. Are there any employee units with the property? Has the Town discussed having an active role in any of those units? Could we pitch the developers on a unit for an artist in residency since it is going to be an art space? What if the town owned the space but it was more of a pop-up for local businesses to come and show off their food? Businesses could stop in and showcase their cuisines. There would be less competition for other businesses. I like not having the Town involved completely but I am very much in favor of the space. Everything that we can do to continue pushing for it will benefit everyone. Town Manager Heil explained there is an employee mitigation formula for the apartments. Artist in residency is a great idea and something that has come up before but is not feasible in this space but would be better somewhere else. The Board and Committee commented / inquired: A. I love this idea and how it connects the buildings along the mall and creates a direct path to the park. I support having a third parter operator and letting restauranters be restauranters. While the design is still unfinished, my DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2026 HYBRID MEETING: IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL OR VIRTUALLY ON ZOOM DDA BOARD MEETING MINUTES, 02 FEBRUARY 2026 PAGE 4 | 5 background is in flexible event spaces and I would like to provide input once the design phase begins. In general, I don’t think we should be worried about the restaurants around space. If it becomes more of a social gathering area, they will benefit from it. You cannot just have coffee without muffins or other to-go items, it needs to be planned accordingly to attract most of the people that’ll walk the mall. B. I agree with much of what has been said and am focused less on specific uses and more on securing the space itself. The Town needs to make this happen with the developer. Having worked on the mall in 2013–14, I see this as a key connection to the park. The location is ideal since it is near the civic center, recreation center, and transit hub with lots of foot traffic and a south-facing orientation that allows for an indoor/outdoor relationship we currently lack. This should be a community gathering space; I would be disappointed if it became primarily a private-event venue. Other facilities already serve those needs. While it’s too early to define exact uses, I strongly support maximum flexibility and learning from examples like the Vail Rec District space in Lionshead, which evolved over time through user feedback. C. Thank you for working on this but I have some general concerns. I don’t see how this space is going to be making it a profit. It could become extremely expensive on the front end and could be expensive to run. I’m not clear on what portion the town would be paying. There’s an opportunity cost to that money. Spend it here or do what the developer is offering but not consider the money lost on running the space. DDA funds could be spent on other things, considering there are other properties the town is looking at. I don’t see how you can get around if this is going to be part of a condominium declaration. It’s going to have a legal space and could result in certain unintended consequences for the Town with cost ramifications that we do not know about today. If the Town moves forward, you’re going to be part of the condo association that is going to be setting dues. If you can get beyond financials, it does sound like a nice concept. D. I echo previous comments. I like the interplay between the hardscape and outdoor areas. It feels like the building is going to be vibrant. We need to drill down the details if this would be subject to residential HOA or a separate commercial HOA and those carrying costs. I do think that the Town has a need for a gathering space and for the arts. The mixed-use room is good for that. The retail site becomes more viable in the marketplace. It’s an interesting opportunity. E. I’m very supportive of this community space. It’s great for vitality and bringing the community together. I’m excited to see where the actual use of the space ends up, but a community arts/workshop space feels like a great option. I also like the idea of a coffee shop with light food / grab and go options. (comment made via email at 3:49 p.m.) F. So, what happens if it doesn’t activate? G. There are people chomping at the bit to be in this space. I don’t think it would be a problem to find organizations. H. For over three years, the DDA has been talking about providing infrastructure and housing, we’ve talked about activating the pedestrian mall. If we don’t do anything, we’ll never know. In 10 years, we could have the space sitting there with no building and think “wow, we didn’t’ do anything”. Then why are we here? Town Manager Heil expressed his confidence in the project and noted the space could be reverted into general commercial space if needed. He provided examples of local organizations that are interested in the space and its potential uses. Planning Manager Skinner stated that there are 164 planned rental units for the building. Local businesses could expand rather than face competition. A commercial kitchen is cost prohibitive, and from a planning standpoint use of the hallway is imperative for successful operations. The trash chute shouldn’t move; it’s important for safety reasons. DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2026 HYBRID MEETING: IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL OR VIRTUALLY ON ZOOM DDA BOARD MEETING MINUTES, 02 FEBRUARY 2026 PAGE 5 | 5 The Board and Committee commented / inquired: A. Suggestion to ensure the space is not monopolized for the Art Guild. Their work is supported but make sure it’s a community space. B. Request to draft the long-term operational projections as the expense of the space will be passed on to future generations. Suggest understanding what the overall line-item costs are as the Town will have to maintain clear guidelines on how much money it will take to break even. Make the private event costs as reasonable as possible C. Is this a condo or an apartment building? The Town should scrutinize the cost share agreement and encourage flexibility to be written into the agreement. Town Manager Heil explained it would be a community workshop space and not intended to be dedicated to one specific group. The Town will review all cost share agreements and that those items are next steps if the building is approved by Council. CCO Dempsey mentioned primary users may get first right of refusal and noted it will take time to get the space fully activated and into a revenue generating model. DDA Board Chair Emrick noted that there is majority support for the project. 3. MINUTES Board Member Rob Tarte motioned to approve the Minutes from Avon DDA Board Meeting held on January 12, 2026. Board Member Gregg Cooper seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously by those present. 4. ADJOURNMENT DDA Board Chair Emrick adjourned the meeting at 4:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted by: Emily Dennis Special Events Coordinator