Aspen Unveils $350M Ski Village After 10-Year Community Effort

The spot where Aspen's very first ski lift carried excited riders up the mountain in 1937 is coming back to life. Chalet Alpina, a $350 million village spanning two and a half city blocks, will restore this overlooked corner of one of America's most beloved ski towns.

Developer Jason Grosfeld grew up skiing these slopes since he was seven years old. He watched as this historic area slowly faded after a 1970s lift redesign sent skiers walking uphill to catch rides, shifting energy to the other side of the mountain.

"This area was actually pretty vibrant in the '50s and '60s," Grosfeld says. Now he's bringing that magic back with a project that blends nostalgia with modern accessibility.

The new village will feature a state-of-the-art ski lift much closer to downtown Aspen, making the mountain easier to reach for more skiers. Surrounding it will be a luxury hotel, residences, restaurants, and a ski museum housed in relocated historic chalets.

A broad public plaza will welcome visitors to explore the area's rich history. Remnants of the 1940s steel lift that replaced that original tow line will be preserved as tribute to Aspen's pioneering ski culture.

The 200,000-square-foot project broke ground last fall after a journey that required patience and genuine community partnership. Plans began taking shape in the early 2010s, with years of public meetings and feedback sessions shaping every detail.

In 2019, residents cast their votes on whether to approve the development. The result came down to just 26 votes, passing with a razor-thin 0.8% margin.

The Bright Side

That close vote tells a powerful story about community engagement done right. Rather than steamrolling opposition, developers spent years listening to concerns and adjusting plans to honor both progress and preservation.

The project will fundamentally transform access to Aspen Mountain while protecting the history that makes this place special. Skiers who might have been intimidated by the uphill walk to existing lifts now have a welcoming alternative.

Grosfeld sees this as more than real estate development. "I am incredibly nostalgic about what skiing did for my childhood and my kids' childhood, and what it still does for me," he says.

When Chalet Alpina opens in 2029, families will gather where generations before them first discovered the joy of gliding down a mountain. The forgotten side of Aspen is about to become unforgettable again.